Blogs

I feature handcrafted Artists on my wirequeen blog on Mondays and art groups on Wednesdays. I have viewers from all over the US and around the world.

If you are an artist (you own work only) or have an artist group dealing with adults and especially kids please contact me on my page here so I can consider featuring you. This is a great way to spread the world about your craft or organization. There is no charge but I do like to have very good photos of your art or activites and I put a link to your site.

Thanks,

Michelle

One of the best ways that I have learned to overcome obstacles is to face each challenge head on. What I mean by that is not running away from or becoming overwhelmed by issues that seem bigger than life. I realize that many work at home mothers are handling a lot of the day-to-day details of holding up the household and juggling business tasks at the same time. It can be a bit much to handle but here are some of the ways that I have been able to manage it all.

1. It starts with remembering to take a few deep breaths. Really. Take some time to quiet yourself and breathe. I have what I call a quiet area which is really just a space that I have set aside for focus. This place could be anywhere you feel comfortable. I use a corner of my bedroom that has a nice comfy chair. I sit there and close my eyes a few moments each day to pause and see each challenge for what it really is – an opportunity to learn something new.
2. Next, I accept that every problem has a solution. That's when I can begin the next phase of working things out. There is a saying used in Step Programs that goes something like this, “You can only begin solving a problem when you admit that you have one.” When you ignore challenges in business they will continue getting bigger. Eliminate the snowball effect by playing an active part in the process. Face the issue by writing it down or speaking it aloud. Then get ready to get in action.
3. Finally, moving forward requires you to list out what you need and figuring out how best to get there. Some solutions require connecting with others. If you are working from home and unable to get out and about try reaching out to others in business by visiting their blog and participating in forums. I am a big fan of mastermind groups and you might find it useful to join one or start one of your own. This will help you get a fresh point of view from like-minded entrepreneurs who are serious about attaining next level success just like you.

With the abundance of information and resources available on the internet today moving past unstuck quickly is more doable than ever. And if cash flow is one of the challenges that you are facing in your business I invite you to sign up for my newsletter at www.tbsusa.com to get solutions for managing and growing your business.

Consider the following statistics provided by O’Reilly Media. Between September 2008 and February 2009...

• The number of Facebook users between the ages of 35 and 44 increased by 51%
• Facebook users among the ages 45-54 grew by 47%
• Facebook users ages 26-34 increased by 26%
• More than half of the 140 million Facebook users are out of college

As you can see Facebook is no longer for just college students. Why should you use Facebook as a marketing tool? The answer is easy; you can use Facebook to gain new clients, stay in touch with current clients and promote new products and sales offers. You can also use it to create buzz and PR that is specific about your business.

How do you do this? Facebook offers you many tools, to be successful in marketing your business you must have an understanding of these tools. In this article we will look at two in particular:

• Facebook Pages
• Facebook Groups

Facebook Pages

Facebook Offers you Facebook Pages². What does that mean? You can use Facebook Pages to create and give your business their own profile on Facebook; the best thing is right now they are free. These pages give your business an identity on Facebook which strengthens your brand. Current customers or even potential customers can become fans of your page and by doing so this allows them to follow you and receive any updates that you post to your page.

The great thing about Facebook Pages is that every time someone becomes a fan of your page all of their friends see that they have become a "fan." This often attracts other followers as well as creates a buzz regarding your business and of course your Facebook Page.

You can use your Facebook Page to not only share your company information, but you can also use it to post photos, videos, applications and messages. Any activity that you perform on your Facebook Page is then broadcast into the mini-feeds of your followers.

When creating your Facebook Page, there are things to keep in mind. You will be given a choice of three options when you start out. You will be asked whether your page is about:

• A Local Business
• A Brand or a Product
• An Artist, Band or a Public Figure

Which are you? Good question. This depends on what you want to promote. Do you want to promote your business locally, do you want to promote your brand or a product or are you working to promote an artist, band or public figure?

Each of these categories will provide you with an opportunity to complete your "basic information", "detailed information" or your "contact information." Each option will provide you with a page that enables you to provide different ways of showing your information. It's important to realize that you cannot edit your page type once you select it, and also remember that the page type that you select will categorize your page with other like pages in that category; this is why you want to make sure you select the correct category to be displayed in.

Your Facebook Page, when done correctly can be used to bring in new customers as well as to help you maintain current customer relationships.

Facebook Groups

Facebook Groups, carry a similarity to Facebook Pages, the difference is they are built around a group of people rather than your business or your brand. You must be a member of Facebook to create a Facebook Group. In order to create a group just login to Facebook and then click on the Groups link in the main menu on the left hand side of the page.

You can use Facebook Groups to create awareness, but they do not have the feature that allows users to become fans, they only become members. The downfall of this is it will not share as much information with friends of "group" members as they interact with the group.

Which One is Right for You?

The question I hear most when it comes to marketing on Facebook is "Laura, do I need a page or a group?"

The answer depends on the goal you want to achieve with marketing on Facebook. The truth is you will gain more exposure from a Facebook Page, because it can be seen by unregistered users, but a group page can only be seen by registered Facebook users.

Now, that feature alone should make it easy to decide, right? Wrong. You must also consider that when you send a message to Facebook Page members, they will only receive an update notification.