Facebook should be a part of any social media marketing campaign.  It’s a marketer’s wet dream.  Seriously.  It’s a rapidly growing, globally accepted, highly targetable, infinitely searchable, ridiculously viral, widely customizable platform that just keeps getting better and better (okay, this last part is debatable, but it still rocks).

Do I sound like I am a Facebook fan?

Here are the quick facts (as of June 2010)…

• Over 400 million users (massive reach)
• Half of all users log in every day (consistent exposure)
• Average user has 130 friends (word of mouth, viral)
• Over 500 billion minutes a month logged (loyalty to platform)

As with every great invention, some people choose to use it properly and professionally while others misuse it entirely.  But you know what they say about money…it just makes you more of what you already are.  This is true about Facebook marketing as well.

If you were a spamming, inauthentic, disgusting marketing jackass before…well, Facebook can help you propel yourself to become a intergalactic marketing jackass.   Everyone learns essential ingredients for authentic living like integrity, character and value in their own time.

When a platform like Facebook is developed…both leaders and scavengers will emerge.  Fortunately, if you know what to look for, scavengers are easy to find.  Our new world of social media is wonderfully transparent and all you have to do is sniff around for value first marketing.  You’ll rarely find scavengers lurking in those circles.

Okay, let’s get onto the list of ways to leverage the power of Facebook.

1. Be Real – I know this sounds simple, but if everyone was authentic 100% of the time, the world would be a very difference place.   Most people, whether they know it or not, long for substance – in people, businesses and experiences.  Don’t ever try to be something you are not. This doesn’t fool anyone and will weaken your brand over time rather than strengthen it.

If you are brand new to online marketing, don’t say you are an internet marketing coach or expert.  It would be better to say that you are an Expert Resource…because you will simply be providing people with other people’s knowledge.  Always put your best foot forward, but just make sure it’s your own foot.

2. Lead With Value – I am putting this one here up front because this strategy, along with #1, is the basis to everything you will ever do in social media.  Over-deliver value…this should be your mantra.  My core intent with this article is to provide you with real value.  If providing you will value ever turns into business for me, then that’s great…but my goal is to provide pure value for you.   I believe strongly in Universal Laws like the Law of Reciprocity…so I will consistently provide free content to add value to people’s lives.

Think about what you can give that other people want.  Think about how you can make other people’s lives better.  Think how you can help solve their challenges.  If you become THAT person for people…you’ll have more business than you can imagine.

3. Pimp Your Profile – If you are going to use Facebook for marketing…then think like a marketer.  Develop a message for your profile that is interesting, relevant and powerful.  If you are in a business like network marketing, then YOU are your brand.  Think about the talent and skills you bring to the world, think about your experience and results, think about the resources you provide and craft a compelling message that pulls all of that together.  Keep it simple, but make it powerful.

Facebook gives people a 360 glance into your world.  They can learn about you, your interests, your business, your family and your social circle.  For me, this is an important part of who I am…therefore I showcase it all.

#1 and #2 here in this list should be your guiding force behind developing #3 on this list.  Yes, stories sell…just make sure the stories you are telling are true.

4. Network – Think of Facebook as a massive global networking event.  There are people everywhere, hanging out in groups, discussing various topics and going to different events.  If you were at a live event like that and wanted to network, what would you do?

You would get off your butt and go meet people.  Well, it’s no different on Facebook.

Use the Facebook search feature to find things you are interested in.  Search for groups related to your niche and join them.  Make friends with people in those groups.  Get out there and mingle, connect and start building relationships.

5. Build Key Relationships – If Facebook is a massive global networking event then it makes sense that there are likely people in the room that you’d want to make sure you meet.  In Facebook’s case, there are thousands of those people throughout various niches.

Invest a little time doing some research and find out who some of the movers and shakers are in your niche or niches.  This may be a little tricky at first, but you’ll get the hang of it.  Don’t be fooled simply by large friends lists.

Social networking is all about creating dialogue.  Someone may have 3,000 friends, but check out their posts.  If their posts are landing on deaf ears (meaning no one is “liking” them and no one is commenting on them)…this person isn’t influential.  Essentially…they are on stage talking to a room of 3,000 people who are all sleeping in the audience.

Additionally, many savvy marketers focus far more on their groups and pages than their personal profile.  With a little effort, you can find some key people in your niche.  Invest your time to build relationships with these people first. (Hint: #1 and #2 are the keys to these people friend’ing you.)

6. Start Groups – Facebook has millions of groups covering millions of topics and areas of interest.  From a marketing perspective, why would you want to start a group?

The obvious reason is that you are targeting people with specific areas of interest to talk with on a consistent basis.  But the not so obvious reason is to preserve your social currency with your contacts and friends.  Just because someone becomes your Facebook friend doesn’t mean they want to hear all about your business all the time.  Inviting people to opt-in to a group will solve that issue.

• Group Rules: See tips 1-5.  Use each of these strategies when crafting your group.  Be real, provide tons of value before asking people to buy anything, craft your group page, photo and name to be enticing and relevant, try and partner with key influencers and communicate frequently.
• Most importantly though…make your group interesting to be a part of.  Share some real value.  Again…if you become THAT person…new business won’t be an issue.

7. Slow Down To Go Fast – In our world that is changing so rapidly, everyone wants things instantly.  I want it all and I want it now…this is true for so many people.  I can relate.   In my opinion, you would be best served to switch that philosophy to “I want it all and I want it to last forever.”

Thinking about your long-term strategy, brand and goals will greatly influence how you choose to participate in the world.  This is true in life as well as social media.

If you wanted to create a long-term relationship with a significant other, you likely wouldn’t be trying to meet people with the goal to see how fast you could get them to sleep with you.  You would take time to genuinely get to know them, find out what they are all about and look for ways you can support them.

How does this relate to growing your Facebook presence?

Simple.

When you request someone’s friendship, take a minute to go on their profile and learn something about them.  Do the same thing when someone requests your friendship.

Write EVERYONE a short, interesting note.  Remember, social networking is about creating dialogue.  Get the dialogue started right away.

Trust me, if you do this, you are differentiating yourself from 99% of the people on Facebook.  You are standing out from the crowd.

Build relationships and add value and the money will follow.

Other Advanced Strategies

8. Integrate With Other Platforms – If you have a website, a blog, a Twitter account, a YouTube account and/or any other social networking or web platform…make sure all of your accounts are talking to each other.  You want to make sure if someone finds your blog, they can easily link to your Facebook profile.

Put your social networking links everywhere you can and if you have a blog, put your blog url everywhere you can.  There are hundreds of social bookmarking sites and although you don’t need to focus on all of them, every time you create a profile on one and list your website, you are creating a backlink to your site.  The search engines love this.

Create some consistency within your brand.  If at all possible, make sure your make social media platforms all have the same account information.  Try to avoid being MaryJo on Facebook, SocialDiva on Twitter and PowerMarketing on YouTube.  Be you everywhere.  (Remember tip #1)

9. Add An Opt-In Box – You can do this to your profile and to a fan page (see #10).  This provides yet another opportunity for your Facebook friends to join your main mailing list.  If you aren’t building a list yet, you may think this doesn’t apply to you.  But honestly, if you aren’t building a list yet…what the heck are you wait for?  Get over to Aweber right now and get an account.

Moving social media connections to your main list should be one of your primary goals.  Once on your list, you can provide massive value in a very targeted way which will allow you the opportunity to really grow and anchor your relationships with the people who are attracted to you and your brand.

Just do a quick search on FB for Profile FBML on how to add an opt-in box to your profile page if you want me to walk you through the basics.  It’s really very easy and I have virtually zero web development experience and am not technical at all.

10. Start A Fan Page – As you get closer and closer to the 5,000 friend limit Facebook has, you will need another place to put people.  Honestly, if you know you are in this for the long haul, you should consider starting your fan page much, much sooner.

A fan page provides significantly more flexibility and essentially allows you to create your own website inside of Facebook.

If found this article online or on my blog, head over to my Fan Page to check it out.   If you haven’t yet, click “like” on my page (that’s Facebook’s new term for being a fan).

If you want a groovy custom design like mine, check out Brian Hanson at http://customtwit.com.  He absolutely rocks.

These are 10 really core principles and tips for enhancing your online brand and starting to do business through Facebook.  There really isn’t anything on this list that you shouldn’t be doing.  These are all fundamental…they aren’t options, they are necessities.

Let’s get working.  Game on!

For more strategies like these, join my mailing list.  Take action now.

Facebook is now one of the most powerful social networking platforms on the planet.  So powerful that they registered more searches in March 2010 than Google.

Yes, you read that correctly.

If you want to do business through this incredibly viral, wonderfully targetable, highly searchable social platform…you need to at least learn some of the basics to get started.  In this video, which I originally posted through Facebook as a welcome gift to new friends, I cover 3 simple yet powerful strategies that make a world of difference.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Do you want to know how to stand out in the crowded world of social networking?

Would you like to develop a friends list that actually wants to hear what you have to say?

Today’s technology driven world moves incredibly fast and the vast majority of people are on autopilot experiencing information overload.  We see friend and follower requests, we add them.  We scan RSS feeds, status updates and tweets.  It’s daunting to keep up but it’s all the more reason to make an effort to do so.

Here are a few simple practices that will leave you forever imprinted in an amazing light in the hearts and minds of your connections.

1. Take time to write a short note to new friends

Almost no one does this and less do it with consistency.  It shows care and interest and it shows (whether it’s true or not) that you have some interest in actually getting to know them.  Of course, it’s significantly better if you actually do.  Do you want to hit a grand slam?  Actually go and read their profile first and make a comment that is personal to them.  Whatever you do, be authentic in your communications, the social web can sniff out posers faster than Chris Brown can say “Anger Management.”

2. Provide Value First

I honestly can’t believe how many insta-pitches I still get.  Apparently someone must respond or people would just stop doing it, but I can’t imagine anyone actually does.  I have written about this before.  People, really, put some value INTO the world instead of just trying to take it out.  What do your connections find valuable?  Provide it for them.  Imagine walking into a restaurant for dinner and as soon as the hostess seats you, the waiter comes up and says, “That will $85 please.”  Ah, what?  Can I have my dinner first?

Yeah, it makes no sense, but people still do it.  Then they quit their businesses saying that social media and social networking don’t work.  It’s no different on the web than it is in the restaurant.  Value drives consumer interest and action.  Give people the food they really want first.  If you constantly over deliver, people will beat down your door to connect with you.

3. Make Comments

Yes, people want to know you care.  Are we starting to see a pattern?  Take a few moments and extend a part of your life into theirs.  The world of social media is a bit of a paradox.  It can be a very impersonal personal experience.  We are connected to people all over the planet, but if we aren’t conscious about forwarding our relationships, the connection can be lost.  Comment on their FB status & blog post, retweet their tweets or tweet their blog post.  If you find value in what they are saying, it’s likely your friends will too.  (HINT, HINT PEOPLE!)

4. Create Groups To Organize Interest

If you use your social networks for both business and personal use as most people do, use groups to gather who is interested in what you are saying.  If you are in Network Marketing create a value based group for your company or industry instead of constantly exposing your entire friend list to your offers.  I have friends that I get 6 and 7 invites to things a week.  Honestly, it’s a bit much.  After a while, it’s like the gynecologist after a long day at the office coming home to his wife and she is wearing sexy lingerie, “Honey, if I see one more…”

4.7 Be Consistent

If you are going to establish an online presence, then do it.  Really do it.  I understand time is an issue for everyone, but make a commitment and stick to it.  Don’t add 500 friends in a week, post a few articles and disappear for 3 months.  Stay in the game.  Post your articles in places that they will create value for the readers.  Post them often.  I recently attended a webinar where the guy was talking about his LinkedIn strategy for lead generation.  It was great.  He generated over 1,600 leads in 6 months for his affiliate programs mostly through article submission and some of the strategies above.  But guess how many times he published an article?  1944 to be exact.  That’s right, 1944.  Now THAT’s consistency and his business exploded because of it.

Get out of here now…go make some friends or go actually be a friend to some of the ones you already have.  But before you do, remember to leave your comments and if you found value in this post, retweet me please.