The Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce recently launched a social networking campaign which included the addition of their Facebook page.  They already have over 200 fans are doing a great job of updating their followers on forthcoming events, new business plans, and most importantly, redirecting traffic to their website by providing valuable inbound links.  They even have encouraged discussion which is a great way to get people involved and hopefully linking back to your website.So how do you follow the example that the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce has set and use Facebook wisely for your business?  Here are five tips to getting the most out of your small business Facebook experience:

• Show off your personality.  Include personal statements and interact with your fans.  Share personal stories or anecdotes and list fun things that you’re doing at your business so people can see that you’re just as human as they are.  

• Create links to your site and blog.  Post links to stories or news updates on your site and blog.  Post links to events on your site or products and services when it’s relevant.  Try and do this at least three times a week to encourage new fans to visit your site.  

• Inform people of the latest news.  Be current – let people know what’s going on and update frequently enough that they’ll know it’s worthwhile to check your page for new information every few days.

• Display photos and videos of your business.  This can also help with showing off your personality.  Let people associate a face or voice with your company.  Link to photos and videos on your website to create further inbound links.

• Encourage discussions.  Especially encourage discussions about your business and its products and services.  Initiate!  Find out what people are saying and respond.  This will go a long way in creating a bond with your potential customer base.

One of the advantages to having a fan page on Facebook is that it’s great for long-term relationships.  A fan page is visible to everyone – you show up on the profile of each of your fans.  Visitor statistics are available so you can target your audience by location, age, sex, education, workplace, and keywords.  Personal invites are enabled so people can draw in their friends and family.  Facebook is a great market for small businesses to interact with people who are already interested in their services.  It shows that you’re willing to meet your clients where they are.