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FGmarket: A Wholesale Marketplace You Can Trust

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The internet has made it extremely easy for B2B businesses to find wholesale marketplaces and showcase their amazing products to the world.

A wholesale marketplace can be thought of in the same terms as a trade show: you go there to find new and unique products that you want to purchase at wholesale prices to sell to your own customers. FGmarket is just like a traditional trade show, but with one key advantage: we’re always open.

Our website is open 24/7, 365 days a year (366, if we’re talking Leap Years). We host hundreds of unique vendors who have some truly amazing products, and we do it all for a price that’s many times more affordable than the competition.

We could go on and on about our own website and the great features we offer to our vendors, but instead of doing that, we’re going to let other people do it.

If you want to see how well we stack up against our competition, let our friends at DEAR Systems tell you all about us and what we can do for your wholesale business!

Click here to get more information and read their fantastic article about wholesale marketplaces, and let FGmarket help you gain more business in a way that’s both convenient and easy.

Overcoming Your Workplace Fears In 3 Simple Steps

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Everyone fears something. It’s part of human nature to be afraid of something. That doesn’t change in the workplace, where fears such as not getting that expected promotion, speaking in front of coworkers during a meeting, and even the fear of being fired surround many people each and every day.

It’s not easy living in fear of your workplace; after all, with 8-hour work days, 5 days a week, we spend most of our waking hours at our jobs!

That’s why it’s so important to learn how to overcome these fears. Because if you don’t, they can make your life miserable, and hinder you from moving on to bigger and better things in your career.

Here are a few tips that can help you get out of a metaphorical rut that’s holding you down, and back on your feet, conquering your workplace fears!

Find The Cause

There’s always a cause for your workplace fear, even if it’s not immediately clear upon the first inspection. In order to get over your fear, you have to first learn how to identify it. Are you afraid that another coworker is going to get promoted before you, even though you have more experience and you’re a harder worker? Do you think that you’re not reaching your full potential in the eyes of your superior? These are common fears that many of us face, but you’ll have to root all the cause of your fear before it can be conquered.

Make a list of things that worry you, or seem to cause tension when you’re at work. It might even be certain people that you work with who are causing strife. But it’s always best to first identify the cause of the problem.

Talk To Coworkers

Have you talked to your coworkers about your fears? Chances are, you’re not the only one who faces difficulties at work. Many employees find themselves suffering from the same workplace fears (especially if the cause of the fear is a common overbearing coworker or boss). Problems always seem to work themselves out whenever people share their thoughts and feelings with each other. If nothing else, you’ll find an ally in your coworker who shares the same fears as you, and you can help each other get through them!

Find Solutions

Of course, whenever you figure out the cause of your fears, the next big step is to solve the problem. I’ve already mentioned talking with coworkers and seeing if they face the same fears as you, but this is just one solution. Other solutions could be something as simple as removing yourself from a place of fear by listening to calming music, or drinking herbal tea, or something more extream such as finally pushing yourself to speak and lead an important meeting. If your problem is a coworker, maybe you can find a time to finally sit down and sort out all the concerns you have with how they’re treating you. Not in a judgemental way, mind you, but in a way that comes off as caring, with a sense of “I just want to get along.”

If you feel like certain things at your workplace are causing you to be unhappy and fearful, you have to take steps in order to solve the problem. Be courageous, and face your fears! Your life/work balance will thank you later for it.

Learning To Understand The Other Generation

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In a recent article, published by news outlet Fusion Media, the owner of NBA basketball team the Phoenix Suns made a startling assumption about the reason why his team is performing so poorly this season. The Suns, owned by Robert Sarver, are currently 13-30 this season. Why are they so bad this season? Millennials, of course.

“My whole view of the millennial culture is that they have a tough time dealing with setbacks…I’m not sure if it’s the technology or the instant gratification of being online,” said Sarver. “But the other thing is, I’m not a fan of social media. The only thing people put online are good things that happen to them, or things they make up. And it creates unrealistic expectations.”

This line of thinking is all too common with many people from the Gen-X or Baby Boomer generations. It’s not uncommon for an older generation to think that the younger generation is doing everything the wrong way, or are too spoiled/entitled/lazy.

But it also goes both ways. People from a younger generation view the older generation as stubborn, set in their ways, and unwilling to compromise and see new ways to accomplish goals. Eventually, millennials will also start criticizing the generation below them (Founders? Generation Z?) as outdated and inept. That’s just how generations tend to think of each other.

In reality, neither group is correct. The problem isn’t doing something the right way or the wrong way. It’s more accurately a problem of being willing to understand where the other generation is coming from, and learning to compromise when it’s more beneficial to do so.

If you’re having trouble understanding how your co-workers from another generation think, check out these tips.

Don’t Be Quick To Judge

When someone challenges the way we think or the way we do things, most of us will immediately get defensive and try to prove that “no, this way is the best way to do it, and you’re wrong!” In reality, solving a task at work is usually not a black or white issue. Most of the time, it falls into a bit of a gray area, where there are a ton of different ways to get to a correct solution. Just like in a complex math equation. Instead of judging the other generation, and thinking they’re too stubborn or too reckless, learn to be patient and keep yourself from judging to the point where you can’t see another way to accomplish a goal.

Communication Is Key

There’s no point in keeping all your thoughts and opinions about how something should be done bottled up inside of you. Ignoring the other party never helps. Try to communicate and work together in a civilized way. Chances are, you’re both trying to do what’s best for the company, you’re just approaching it in different ways. If you’re really having a problem communicating with an older or younger colleague, it never hurts to meet with your manager or HR person and have a discussion together!

Try To See Things Their Way

If you’re having trouble understanding how or why the other generation makes decisions the way they do, simply ask them about it. Say, “Hi! I understand this is the way you want to do this, but I’m having trouble understanding why. Do you have a few minutes to go over your plan with me? I’d love to get a new/different perspective!” Your colleague should respect the fact that you’re interested in seeing their side of the story. A true example of a mature and professional employee is one that can see the other side of the coin, and respect the opinions of other people.

Learning to understand others, especially those from a different generation, is sometimes a difficult thing to do, but a goal that ultimately benefits everyone.

Should Your Business Podcast? 5 Tips and Facts That Might Change Your Mind

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Podcasting

In recent years, podcasting has become a dominant form of media, due to its wide variety of special interest shows, availability, ease-of-access, and the ability for anyone with a microphone, computer, and recording software to put content out there for hundreds of people to hear!

For listeners, it’s also very addicting! A year ago I had only a vague understanding of what podcasts were and how they worked. I subscribed to my first podcast, Stuff You Should Know, and a year later, I now download and listen to 14 different podcasts throughout my work week.

It’s a medium that’s transforming the way listeners consume information, by changing the speed at which we’re able to consume it. Unlike radio broadcasts, where you have to tune in to a specific frequency at a certain time during the day to hear your favorite program, podcasts allow listeners to download episodes, and listen to it on the go, whenever they feel like it!

Businesses and business owners are now discovering that podcasting can be a great tool to reach their customers with vital information, and give them an entertaining reason to come back wanting more and more.

So, what should you consider when deciding whether to podcast? Check out these tips and facts about podcasting.

Podcasts Can Be Taken Anywhere

Podcasting is one of the most mobile forms of media out there. That’s due in large part to its format (audio only) and the fact that most people these days own some sort of smartphone, with apps that can play podcasts. It’s also very simply to record a podcast. All you need is a computer with recording software, a good microphone, maybe a mixer for sound quality, and some headphones.

It’s Completely Free

Here’s a word that every business owner likes to hear: FREE. Yes, podcasting is completely free to record and publish, because you’re basically doing all the work yourself. Even using certain apps to publish your episodes, like SoundCloud, are free and easy to use.

It Reaches A Larger Audience On The Internet

Having a website, email lists, and social media work wonders as far as getting your name out there, but podcasting can also help. Podcasts can be downloaded and shared thousands of times, giving you a larger reach, and more Internet exposure. You can also use social media to promote your podcasts by creating a post with a link to your podcast.

There Are Many Apps To Publish Through

I’ve already mentioned SoundCloud, but there are so many other apps out there that allow you to publish podcasts, including: iTunes, BeyondPod, Pocket Casts, and Spotify, with Google Play Music soon to follow.

You Can Bring On Guests For More Variety

You can only talk to yourself for so long before people start worrying about your mental health and stability. Also, if you’re like me, recording audio alone in the storage closet of your office building makes people stop and listen in bemusement as they try to figure out whether you’re crazy, doing your job, or if you just needed some alone time to talk things over with yourself. Bringing on a guest changes things up, and brings some variety to your show.

Record At Least Once A Week

Just like a TV show that you tune into on the same night every week, podcasts need to publish on a recurring schedule. Once a week is usually the right frequency for publishing podcasts. Too many during a week and people skip over your episodes and delete your feed. Too few and everyone forgets about you and moves on to other shows.

Podcasting isn’t for everyone, but if you have the time, determination, and willingness to share your wealth of knowledge to listeners, you can quickly gain more exposure and more customers!

6 Advantages of Letting Employees Telecommute

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By a show of hands, who here hates their morning commute to work? (I can’t see your hands, obviously, but I’m imagining a sea of palms raised high in silent agreement).

Whether it’s the other frantic drivers that constantly whip in and out of lanes almost causing wrecks, or the people who actually do get in wrecks that cause major delays in the traffic flow, commuting to work can be a royal pain in the you-know-what.

It’s not just the commute, either. When you work far from home, chores don’t get finished, dinners don’t get made, more money is put into gas for your car, and eventually you get fed up with being cooped up inside your bland office for 8+ hours a day.

Thankfully, technology has made a way to make working from home a possibility. Known as telecommuting, it’s quickly becoming the preferred way for employers to easily work with their busy employees. If your company is thinking of letting some employees work from home, or switching your entire company over to a telecommute business, these six advantages might just tip the scales in favor of this strategy!

1. Increases Employee Productivity – You’re probably thinking, “How does working from home increase productivity? If anything, it’ll be decreasing it!” This is a common roadblock that most employers can’t cross, because they believe by working from home, employees will be more distracted by things like TV, kids, and pets. A study by Stanford University showed that call center employees who worked from home had a 13 percent increase in productivity than their office-occupying co-workers. Another study from the University of Texas showed that telecommuters are willing to work 5 to 7 hours longer per week than office workers.

2. Reduces Turnover – Employees’ moods during the work day are positively or negatively affected by one defining factor: how their mornings go. If they have a stressful commute to work, their mood will be negatively affected, which will in turn affect their happiness, which could then lead them to looking for a new job. Working from home reduces commuter stress. In fact, in a research study conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee found, “Employees who telecommute the majority of the work week are more satisfied with their jobs compared to those working mostly in the office because working remotely alleviates more stress than it creates.”

3. It’s Cost-Effective – “Show me the money!:” the universal motto for business owners (and Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire). If you think about, of course telecommuting will save your business money. You don’t have to spend money on bigger work spaces, more heat and air to keep employees comfortable, and bigger and better computers for employees. According to data from Global Workplace Analytics, telecommuting actually saves an average of $11,000 per year for every employee who works remotely.

4. Less Sick Days – This one’s a no-brainer: less employees at work means there’s less of a chance that someone will bring a stomach virus to work and infect your entire crew. That means your employees will be taking fewer sick days. This isn’t true in all cases, especially if your employee has kids that can get them sick, but it’s generally true for most people.

5. Reduces Employee Stress – When employees are allowed to work from home, they avoid these stress-causers and time-consumers: rush hour traffic, going to the grocery store after work, taking care of dinner when they get home, cleaning their homes, picking up their children, getting a babysitter for younger children, feeding the pets, going to doctor’s appointments, making it to the post office and banks before they close (you see where this is going?) It also keeps them out of workplace stress-activators, such as constant meetings, office politics, and other employees distracting them from their workflow.

6. Great Tools To Make It Work – If you’re a manager, or owner of a business, and you’re wondering how to stay in touch with an employee who telecommutes, consider these great tools!

  • Google Hangouts, Skype, Facetime – These video chatting tools make it easy for you to hold meetings with employees who work remotely. They’re all free, and only require a computer with a webcam, a microphone, and a login in order to use them!
  • Google Documents, Spreadsheets – Google has really changed the game for people who work remotely, and with Google Docs and Spreadsheets, collaborating with other employees in a team is easier than ever. Sharing documents, adding comments, and editing files are super simple tasks thanks to live-editing (you can actually watch someone on another computer editing your document while you have it open on your computer).
  • Slack – Email is great, but Slack is better. This nifty tool lets employees communicate using a form of instant messaging, but it also lets them create specific groups (called channels) to discuss different projects or subjects. You can also share files easily inside of Slack, and search for keywords if you need to find a specific project from long ago.

Telecommuting shouldn’t be something to fear.  Embrace it, and not only will it make your employees happier, it’ll make you happier as well!

Check out the video below for more advantages of working from home!

How To Get Started With Google Business Listings

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Google is a powerhouse in the tech world. As the No. 1 search engine in the world, Google gets more than 1 billion visitors to its site each month, and these people are searching for everything you can think of. From ways to get rid of mustard stains on a new white t-shirt, to tasty new restaurants to try out during a night on the town with friends, Google has become an integral part of society’s everyday routine. So much so that it’s even become a verb; like, “Hey, Tim, can you Google how to put out a fire when your fish fryer bursts into flames and coats your skin in hot lava? Very urgent, please. Thank you.”

Knowing all of this, it seems silly to be a business owner who DOESN’T already have their business listed on Google. But never fear, humble business owners! This post is here to help get Jerry’s Salty Sailor Sardines on the market, and get you discovered by potential customers in no time!

Getting Started

The first thing you’ll need to do is navigate to the Google Business landing page, by clicking here. You’ll then have to make sure you’re signed into your Gmail account. If you don’t have a Gmail account, it only takes a few simple steps to get one.

Next, click on the blue button that says “Get On Google.” This will begin the process of setting up your business listing.

You’ll have to use the search bar on the left side of the screen to look for your business. If it’s not already listed on Google, you can click the blue text that says “Add Your Business.”

Then, fill out the basic info for you business, such as the name, address, phone number, and category that your business fits into. You can also check a box at the bottom that says “I deliver goods and services to my customers at their location,” but this is optional. Click continue when you’ve got your info entered how you want it to look.

Google will then ask to create a Google+ page for you to manage your business listing. Read through the terms of service, check the box, and then click continue.

Verify Your Account

Next, you’ll have to verify your account by phone, via text message or phone call. Google will send you a code, and you’ll need to type that number into the verification code box.

Then, you’ll be notified that in order to manage the business page on Google, you’ll have to verify your association with the business through the email. If you don’t want to do this right now, you can choose to skip it and do it later. Note: in order to have full control of your Google Business listing, you will have to verify it this way at some point.

 

Google will then guide you through a lot of the different sections of your Google Business page, or you can skip this part.

Editing Info

There are a lot of different things you can edit on your page individually by clicking on the different parts of your page, but if you want to edit a lot of info at one time, you can click the orange “Edit” button in the top right corner.

Once you fill out all of your info, you can click “Done Editing” at the bottom to save these changes. Some things will be off-limit for editing until you verify your business through the mail. If you need Google to send you a verification letter in the mail, click the “Verify Now” button on the orange bar line at the top of your screen.

That’s it for setting up your Google Business listing! That wasn’t so hard, now was it? Be sure to explore your listing page to get the most out of all the tools that Google offers you, and you’ll be getting more customers to your store before you know it!

How To Get Your Business Listed On Bing

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Much like Google or Yelp, Bing works to help get your business found when people are searching for you online. This business listing is called Bing Places, a free online listing that helps web users find your info when they’re searching specifically for you, or when they’re searching for businesses like yours in a certain location.

Most of the time, when you search for your business, you’ll find that it’s already been added to Bing’s listings. This is done by aggregating any info that the company can find on your business, and placing it into a listing created by the team at Bing. However, many times this info can be incorrect or outdated. That’s when you’ll need to claim your business listing for yourself, to insure the correct info is available for any customer trying to find you!

Check out these easy to follow steps that will help you on your way to claiming your Bing Places listing!

Getting Started

The first step in the process is to make sure you have a Microsoft Outlook email account, and are logged into that account. Bing is owned by Microsoft, and they use their own email hosting service in all of their software, much like Google does with Gmail.

The process for setting up an Outlook account is quick and easy. Once you have your account set up and verified, you can then start claiming your listing.

Navigate to the Bing Places home page, located at this web address https://www.bingplaces.com/

Click on the Get Started Button to begin the process.

Searching For Your Business

Bing gives you the option to search for your business by either typing in a phone number associated with your business, or by searching for your business’s name and its location.

If your business is already listed but hasn’t been claimed, it will show up in the search results.

Next, click the “Claim Business” link next to your business’s name.

Verifying Your Business

Before updating the info on your business, Bing requires you to verify that you are the owner of the business. Click the “Verify” button to get started verifying your business.

There are a number of ways that you can verify your business. You can have Bing email you with your PIN code, you can choose to have them call you with the number, or you can have a SMS text message sent to you with your PIN.

There are also two alternative methods for verifying your business listing. When you click on the “Alternative methods” tab, you’ll see more options. You can choose to answer a series of questions from Bing that only the business owner will know, or you can choose to have Bing send you a postcard via snail mail to whatever mailing address you wish.

Once you verify your business, you can begin updating your info.

Updating Your Info

Bing lets you update various types of info for your business listing. These include your address, categories that your business fits into and a brief description of your business, contact info, photos of your business, and your business’s working hours.

 

 

 

 

After updating your business listing to the correct info, you will see a notification at the top of your screen that lets you know how long it will take for your correct listing to show up on Bing’s search results. This verification process can take up to 2 weeks, but oftentimes it is sooner.

That’s it for getting your business verified on Bing! The entire process is quick, easy, and extremely valuable for getting you noticed on Bing’s search results. When you have your business claimed on Bing, more customers will be able to find you when searching online.

How To Set Up Your Business Listing On Yelp

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Is your business listed on Yelp? Chances are, yes, you’re already on the popular website that lets anyone leave a review of your business for thousands of other people to see. That’s because anyone can also create a page for your business in order to leave a review, even if they don’t have any ownership of your business. So, even if you’ve never signed up for a Yelp account, even if you’ve never even heard of the website before this article, you might have been getting reviews from customers — both positive and negative — for quite some time.

If this is the case, then the first thing you need to do is make sure you claim that business listing as your own! You want to be able to control your business’s page, to be able to interact with your customers, and the only way to do this is by claiming your Yelp business listing.

By claiming your listing, you’ll also verify certain information that might have been entered incorrectly, by either the Yelp team or the person who listed your business on their site. You’ll also find yourself being discovered more often by search engines, such as Bing, whenever someone searches for your business.

In this article, you’ll find a step-by-step guide to setting up your free Yelp listing, and also how to claim your listing if it already exists. Check out the easy-to-follow steps, and you’ll get discovered by customers in no time!

Setting Up A New Business Listing

Step 1: Search For Your Business

The first thing you’ll need to do is navigate to the Yelp page for business owners, by clicking this link https://biz.yelp.com/. From here, you can search and see if your business is already listed on Yelp. Use the two search boxes to search for your business name and the location it’s near. Make sure you’ve already signed up for a free Yelp account before you start this process.

If no one’s listed your business yet, this screen will show up. To add your business, click the blue link that says “Add your business to Yelp.”

Step 2: Add Your Info

You’ll be brought to a page that lets you add all of the important info for your business, such as your business name, address, phone number, website, etc. It’s important to note that if you don’t want your business’s location to show up on your page, simply take out the street address, and leave the city and state info in the boxes.

Below this, you can add your store hours. Click the dropdown menus to add the hours your business is open on each day. To add a day, click the “add hours” button beside the hours you’re adding. Do this for each day of the week your business is open.

You can also add up to three categories to list your business under. This helps customers find your business more easily when searching for certain keywords. Finally, add your email address underneath the categories box and click “save changes,” so Yelp can send you a confirmation email.

Step 3: Confirm Through Your Email

Go to your email address that you entered to confirm your business.

Simply click the red button that says “confirm email address” to move on to the next step.

This will open a new browser tab, where Yelp lets you know that your business will start showing up in search engines and on their website once their team has reviewed this information. This usually takes up to 48 hours. In the meantime, you can click the blue link that says “View Your Business On Yelp” to edit your business’s page.

Step 4: Customize Your Page

This is your page on Yelp. You can edit information from this page, such as your store hours, phone number, address, view the reviews you’ve received, and even add pictures of your business.

On the left side of your page, you can click on the button that says “edit” underneath the map of your business’s location to edit the main info for your page.

If you want to add pictures of your business or the products you sell, click on the “add photo” button on the right side of your page.

Claiming A Pre-existing Business Listing

If you search for your business, and find that someone has already created a page for it, you can choose to claim this page, by clicking on the red button that says “claim this business.”

If someone has already claimed your business, and you want to take ownership of it, click the blue link that says “already claimed.”

Then, click on the link that says “reclaim it.”

Here, you can create a business owner account for your business, and start the process of claiming your business. The steps follow the same process as setting up a brand new business.

That’s it for claiming your business on Yelp! It’s simple and quick and takes only a few steps to set up your page and start using your Yelp page to attract more customers. With the vital reviews you’ll be getting from customers, you’ll be more connected to them than ever before!

11 Business Travel Hacks To Make Your Trip Easier

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Traveling for business trips can be a beast with many stress-inducing, grueling, scary heads. Solve one problem, and you’re still facing hundreds more, that are waiting to ruin your trip and cause more stress than your dwindling sanity can take.

It doesn’t have to be this way though! If you travel a lot for business — whether it be for conferences, summits, client meetings, etc. — these 11 travel hacks will keep your trip stress-free, and pleasant!

Roll Up Your Clothes – In any travel situation, saving as much space as possible is a must. Rather than folding your clothes like a retail store, roll them up to make small clothes logs. This saves a ton of space in your suitcase, plus it’ll keep them from getting wrinkled in transit.

Travel Size Toiletries – When you’re trying to save space, it doesn’t make sense to bring your entire bottle of shampoo, lotion, or body wash with you. Make a pre-packed bag of travel size bottles to grab and go!

Bring An Extra Charger – One of the worst things in the world is having low battery on your phone or tablet, losing your charger, and being forced to shell out $20+ for a new one. Bring a travel only charger — or an external battery charger — just in case you find yourself in a tight spot with low or no battery.

Use Airport Time Wisely – Layovers suuuucccck; but they don’t have to be complete time wasters. Use a long layover to answer some important emails, take care of some last minute tasks, or schedule some future meetings for when you get back from your trip.

Beat Jet Lag – Jet lag from international travel can really kill your entire trip, especially if you spend the whole time trying to recover from it. If you arrive in the morning at your destination, try to avoid sleeping immediately, and go to sleep sometime in the evening. If you arrive at night, go to sleep as soon as you can.

Book Hotels With Free Breakfast – Who doesn’t love free food? When you’re booking a hotel for the week, try to find one that offers complimentary breakfast. It’ll save you time and money in the morning (just try to avoid the eggs).

Get A Corporate Card With Great Benefits – Unlike Whose Line Is It Anyway?, where the points don’t matter, the points you get while traveling really do matter! Getting a good corporate card that offers great benefits and points opportunities will pay off in the long run, and you’ll love the money you save with one!

Pack A Snack – Airport food is expensive, so try to pack your own snacks on your carry on bag. If you’re looking for something a little stronger than a complimentary soda, you can also BYOB on your trip, as long as the liquid meets the TSA size requirements.

Download Some Travel Entertainment – Are you behind on Game of Thrones and The Big Bang Theory, or want to check out that new documentary Blackfish? Download some entertainment to your computer or tablet! It’ll be perfect for long plane rides or layovers.

Pack An Extra Bag – Accidents happen, and losing your entire bag of luggage at the airport on your first day of a trip can be a real bummer. That’s why packing an extra bag of essentials — such as extra toiletries or clothes — can really help out when unforeseen events occur.

Great Travel Apps – There’s an app for everything these days, and travelling is no exception. Great trip planning apps, like TripIt, making planning easier, and others — like Google Translate and Duolingo — can help make international travel less of a culture shock.

Tips On How To Make The Most Of Your Business’s Facebook Page

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So, you’ve started a brand new business, and you’re looking to get connected with your customers through the Internet and social media. With all the social platforms out there to choose from, it can feel a bit overwhelming. Should you use Twitter? Instagram? Pinterest? Facebook?

The answer to this question all depends on what you feel most comfortable with, based on how familiar you are with each platform. But by and large, the most common, and most used social platform out there, is Facebook. With more than 1 billion monthly active users, Facebook is the largest social platform available, and chances are, your customers are one of those billions of users.

Knowing these facts, the reason to join Facebook becomes obvious. If you want to connect with your customers, Facebook is the way to go! Check out these tips on how to setup a Facebook page for your business, and how to manage it to get your customers involved!

Setting Up Your Page

Setting up your business page on Facebook is super simple, thanks to Facebook’s easy to use controls. Assuming you already have a personal Facebook account, the first thing you’ll need to do is login to your account. Then, click on the options dropdown menu on the top right side of the blue heading. Look down the list until you see “create page,” and then click on that option.

From here, Facebook will guide you through the easy to follow steps for creating a Facebook page for your business. They’ll ask you questions such as the industry your page is for, what type of info you’d like to include on it, how to share your page and get more followers, plus a ton of more helpful information. Click here if you want to go ahead and get the process started for creating your own page.

How Can You Use Your Business Page?

Your Facebook page will work as your personal, online connection to your customers. That means, your customers will be able to send you personal messages, write on your Facebook wall, leave reviews of your business, and ask for help when they encounter a problem.

It’s also a great tool for helping your business get discovered. Besides searching for your website, people will also look to see if you have a Facebook page. With a Facebook business page setup, customers will have no problem finding, and liking your page to stay up with all your announcements and exciting content.

Facebook also makes it easy for you to check your page analytics right inside your business page. Facebook calls these analytics “insights.” In the same way that you’d check Google Analytics reports for your website traffic, you can check your Facebook page’s traffic to see how well your marketing strategies are working. It’s a good measurement to test how interested people are in your business, and the products you might be selling.

To put it plainly, if you aren’t utilizing a Facebook page for your business, you’re wasting valuable, and absolutely free, marketing opportunities.

Managing Your Page

Now that you know the how and why of setting up your Facebook page, here’s what you need to do to maintain it.

Make sure you’re authentic with your customers, and share articles, products, and stories that you genuinely care about. They’ll know if you’re just sharing to stay active. Connect with your customers by posting things that they care about, too.

Respond quickly to messages and inquiries from your customers. Whether it’s a personal Facebook message, or a complaint posted on your Wall, responding quickly is usually the best option. If someone is publicly ridiculing your company on your Facebook page, make sure you respond quickly and respectfully to their complaints. This shows you have faith in your business, and know how to cater to customers’ needs.

Checking your analytics also helps, because it gives you an idea of what’s working, and what’s failing to get grab your customers’ attentions. Once you find out what types of posts are getting the most activity (including likes, shares, clicks and comments), you can figure out how to replicate these types of posts. It’s all about keeping your content consistent.

Facebook has made great efforts to establish itself as one of the premier social media platforms for helping businesses. With these tips, you’ll be getting great traffic and user interaction in no time! For more info, check out Facebook’s tips on managing your business page.