I’m stressing about it.

And I hear this from my clients all the time.

I got to reading, and realized I’m not alone. Social media is just one more thing on our plates; one more tool in our belts. It’s not the make-it-or-break-it key to success that so many evangelists make it out to be. It can be a very powerful tool if you are able to use it, but there are certainly other tools.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed or just tired of being social in social media, here are a few thoughts to help you.

1. When you want to do social media but don’t have the time, use HootSuite: Seriously a life saver. Set up a free account at this web-based social media manager. Load up all of your social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, FourSquare, whatever) and start posting. The best feature of HootSuite? You can schedule your posts. Schedule a few status updates for your business page to post over the weekend or while you’re on vacation or even periodically throughout the week so you don’t lost interested fans. Check in once in a while to respond to comments. Set it and forget it!

2. You don’t need to be everywhere. Read this great post about why you don’t need to be on Twitter, then stick with the social media that you think really fit your market. If your customers aren’t your fans on Facebook, you probably don’t need a page. Social media isn’t right for everyone and every business, and that’s ok. It’s not absolutely necessary to succeed.

3. Give yourself a break. Too much posting is just as annoying as a page that hasn’t been updated in two months, so ease up. Let yourself take a few days away without worry. Jump back in when you’re ready and make sure you reply to comments and start conversations. Set user expectations so that they know not to expect you online all day and night, unless that’s what you want to do.

4. Watch your competitors. There are probably a few of your competitors who are doing an awesome job with social media. They’re posting all day, replying on Twitter, starting really cool conversations with industry leaders. Then, there are probably quite a few who have no social media presence at all. Which of those competitors are most successful? You’ll probably find a balance. There are many ways to stay connected to your clients and customers; social media is just another tool in your belt.

5.  Enlist help.  Find an employee who has a good handle on social media that can spend 20 minutes a day posting for your business.  Buy a cheap netbook (or maybe an iPad!) and let them go at it.  Hand over the reigns. You’ll be sharing a much more realistic and genuine view of your business than trying to half-heartedly maintain control doing it yourself.  Give your employees a voice and let them build those relationships.

Business owners wear a lot of hats, and marketing has to be one of them, but no one is expecting you to be perfect. Do what’s best for you, keeping an eye on your competitors, and you’ll be fine.

1. Fans – not friends (page not profile)

• Don’t make people ask to friend you – fan pages are public; anyone can become a fan (vendors, clients, employees).
• Fan pages status updates are indexed by Google’s real time search results – use them to post links and it helps SEO for that website.
• Be sure to grab your business name (or something close to it) so you can easily share your Facebook page address.
• Multiple profiles are actually against FB terms and you can be banned.

2.  What to post

• Stay on topic (whatever that topic might be) and be present daily.
• Save your rants and tirades for somewhere else.
• Tell your story by sharing some personal information about your business.
• Add value to your fans – share news, links and stories (use Google or Yahoo blog search to find relevant content).
• Applaud your competitors – share good work and good ideas, give credit where credit is due.
• Speak in your own voice, not in business speak.

3. When to post

• When are your visitors online?   Chances are you can tell this by looking at your website analytics.
• Daily is not too often.  Hourly is too often.  Find a balance.
• Too many status updates clogs your fans’ newsfeeds; bores them and bothers them.  Don’t be annoying!
• Go slow and steady – don’t overdo it.  It takes time to build up the residual returns.

4. Use applications to increase engagement

• At the very least, Networked Blogs should be connecting with your blog.
• Connect your LinkedIn and Twitter profiles.
• Polls, contests and sweepstakes (there’s an app for that!).
• Others on Mashable

5. Develop custom tabs specific to your business

• Use Static FBML to create a custom landing tabs for your page – add your email subscription form, links to pages on your website – anything you can do with HTML/CSS you can do on this tab.
• Use boxes to add your business information, polls and surveys.
• If your wall is nothing to write home about (lacking comments or updates), use one of these tabs as your landing tab for new visitors.
• Hire a web designer if you need help – this is a quick and easy project that helps make your profile sticky and fun.

6. Join the conversation – but don’t control it.

• Respond to comments and make comments on your fan’s profiles and pages
• Add their businesses to your fan’s  “favorites.”
• Allow natural commenting and questions to happen (Dell is a great example).
• Respond kindly and swiftly to negative comments;  don’t delete them, but use them as feedback to improve your business – show your fans that you care enough to change.

7. Offer discounts and specials to your Facebook fans.

• Give people a reason to recommend you to their friends.
• Say thank you once in awhile!
• Track this  and use the information to improve the offer.
• Offer a choice of discount (which would you prefer?).
• Solicit feedback from your fans on your business decisions (would you rather see us open a new location in North Pinellas or add two more professionals to our current location?).
• Which incentives you use depend on the type of business you are running.

8. Leverage the power of Facebook Events

• Use events only for the notable, big events you’re hosting or involved in – not your weekly or daily specials.
• Only invite fans/friends to whom the event is relevant! (Local, likely to attend or interested in your business/topic).
• Promote your events with Facebook ads.
• Decide whether or not to show the guest list (small events = no; big events = yes).
• Enable the wall if it’ll spark good discussion, not just RSVPs.
• Add links to related pages on your website or partnering businesses.
  

9. Use your Facebook URL everywhere, like a website.

• Many brands have started using it instead of their website in print and web advertising
• Creates more of a relationship than a website does
• Fresher content and more easily editable than your website
• Add to business cards and especially email signatures

10. Use Facebook ads!

• They’re cheap, targeted and you can help build your fan base very affordably.
• Run campaigns that are compelling and promote your Facebook page, a promotion or an event instead of trying to sell something
• If you build a good FBML tab with good content, you can use ads to bring people to your uploaded presentations, white papers, even your events.
• Figure that you’d spend a few hundred dollars on a Yellow Pages advertisement so be willing to test out a similar budget on Facebook
• Use the ‘social ads’ – show the connections between your page and specific users who are fans

More tips and tricks

• Remember that Facebook statuses update mobile platforms (notifications are free mobile advertising!)
• Use FB to research business prospects/partners/clients/employees
• Combine with your other social media initiatives (Twitter, blogging)
• Use Facebook to find guest bloggers and connect with others in your industry
• Use FB to syndicate other web content, links to articles and news stories

Facebook Resources

• Facebook Advertising
• AllFacebook
• Mashable
• Chris Brogan
• Social Media Examiner
• Inside Facebook
• PDF eBook from Hubspot

You’re a small business owner, and you know that you need to use Facebook for promotion. You might even have a fan page already built.  But are you using it to its fullest potential? What are you leaving on the table, and how can you maximize the very little time in your day to get the most out of your social media marketing?

It’s important to understand  how, when, where and why using social media makes sense and what impact using them will have on your business.

Join us for lunch at Three Birds Tavern (pardon the music) on Tuesday, March 23 to learn:

• What to post and what not to post – and when
• How to make – and keep – fans
• Creative ideas for engaging your fans
• Why and why not to use Facebook ads
• How to translate fans into sales

Where:  Three Birds Tavern
When: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 12:00 pm
How much: $15 for paid LS1 members / $20 non-members / $25 at the door
(includes lunch, drink and tip + 45 minute workshop and discussion time)

Register in advance at LocalShops1.com »

A client asked me this weekend about how businesses can and should be using Facebook.  Best practices, things to avoid, etc. I told her a few things about sincerity, about creating relationships or maintaining boundaries – you know, the usual social media 101 jibber jabber.

But it got me thinking: what do you think businesses can and should be doing on Facebook? Do they belong on Facebook? Are you assaulted with promotions and sick of it? Do you like seeing what your favorite brands or small businesses are up to and supporting your friends (ahem)?

Be honest, and let me have it. I’m curious, from a professional perspective not in relation to Big Sea on Facebook (I won’t be hurt if you think business should stay off).

And go.