RaiseMyProfits

Kathleen McQuaid Packard Creative Marketing Director This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Facebook has captured a sizable global audience and has been used by many professionals  to reach their audience and broaden their network. One of the ways you can use Facebook is to leverage a personal Facebook profile, connecting to business colleagues and networking contacts.  However, if you’ re worried about getting sucked into a time-drain, here are some tips to help you leverage Facebook without it taking over your life.

Set aside the amount of time you’re able to spend on Facebook and stick to it.
One of the secrets of Facebook’s success is that you are instantly in touch with many people you may not have seen or heard from in years. Resist the urge to immediately respond to messages and comments. An easy way is to modify your account settings (under notifications), so you do not get an email each time your friends send you a message or post on your wall. However, you may want to receive notifications if you are tagged in a post or photo, so you can make sure the post does not compromise your online “brand.”

2) Update your status with positive and engaging comments.

We all know that misery loves company, but if you plan to connect with business associates, keep your status updates positive. If you are having a bad day, stay away from the keyboard. Likewise, don’t post anything your “mom” shouldn’t see. Facebook is a public forum and everything you post- both good and bad reflects upon you and your business. Do share a funny story about your pets or kids or celebrate your personal and business successes.

Not sure what to post? Use an inspiring quote from a famous person you admire. Be sure to update your status once every two days to stay fresh in your Facebook friends’ minds. If you have a Blackberry, Droid or iPhone, you can quickly update your status on the go, which is easier than logging into a computer. You can also update your status through SMS text by activating your mobile phone from your account settings.

3) Share links to informative articles relevant to your business.
One easy way to remind your Facebook friends of what you “do” is to share links to articles they may find intriguing. Many media websites make this easy by providing a “share” button on their content. If they don’t, you can copy and paste the URL link into your status. To do this, roll over the text bar to update your status, and then you will see four icons below (photos, video, event and link). Click on the links icon and then paste the website URL. You can also share events and upload photos of networking forums, seminars and trade shows.

By using the three tips above, you can reap the benefits of social networking without taking up a lot of time. In just 5 to 15 minutes a day, you can keep you and your business relevant in your friends’ (and associates’) minds and generate opportunities.