Here we go! I’m going to share 5 ways to use Facebook tabs to drive business:

1. Put YOUR BEST website page—the one with a strong call to action– on the most visited site on the internet. 
Facebook surpassed Google as THE MOST VISITED site on the internet this year. With this statistic in mind, it behooves businesses to take their website content to Facebook like we’ve been doing with Google for years! I’ve done it and you can too!  Using the Facebook app, FBML, I’ve created a new wall tab, Daystar New Media,  and I’ve copied the HTML code from my website to the app so my facebook page visitors can follow my “calls to action” without leaving Facebook.  Think about this: ANY webpage on your company site can be “installed” on facebook by using the FMBL app. Which page on your site drives the most business? Get more out of it by moving it on facebook!

2. Introduce a new product or service with a special offer.   You can use an app called Promotion-there are many others-or you can copy html from your product page on your website and use the FMBL app again.  Think creatively and strategically and these tools will become a profit center rather than a time drain or cost to your business.

3. Build trust and strengthen client and prospect relationships by consistently offering valuable content to your target audience. Do this on Facebook  by flowing your blog content into your Facebook page with the app, Social RSS.  Your blog will have a tab AND every article you add to your blog will be posted to your facebook wall and included in the Blog tab. See the Social Media Explained Blog on flowing onto my facebook page.

4. Grow your email listfrom within Facebook. Add a tab for your email list sign up form. There are many ways to do this.  I’ll show two examples. I use MailChimp.com so I have installed the MailChimp App. I have client who uses ConstantContact.com so I’ve installed the Constant Contact app on the client’s Facebook page.  Because most email list management systems provide the form code in HTML, you can also use the FBML app to grow your email list on Facebook.  Search FB App directory or visit your email list provider website to find the best choice for your company.

5. Get your FB community engaged and viral by sharing your latest video.Using the Youtube for Pages app from Involver.com, you can load your Youtube Channel into your page as a tab and offer your latest business video to your audience. What’s great about this app is that it makes it easy for your community to share it with their friends. Think viral exposure.  Here is an example of this app in action on the  HomeCare Association of Louisiana facebook page. HCLA keeps membership informed about events, homecare industry news, healthcare reform issues (ie. report from Capitol Hill) and more using Youtube and the Facebook page.

 Now, I’ve just scraped the surface of the beau coupways you can use fb page tabs to drive business. I hope these ideas have inspired you to think of some new ways you can use facebook for your business.  Next week, I’m going to show you how to get even more action from tabs by making one of your new tabs your landing page on Facebook.  Stay tuned next week for Driving the Facebook User Experience.

This morning I downloaded the product, Xobni, an add-on to Outlook. At the end of the installation of the add-on software, the Finish dialog box wasn’t just wasted space. Xobni took advantage of an opportunity to connect with their target market! They filled the wasted space with an friendly picture of the xobin team along with the message “Thanks for installing!”  Kudos to the xobni marketing team!

Where is the wasted space in your business processes? Examine all of your customer communications and look for ways to connect and utilize print or electronic pieces that are usually boring but could be used to make a connection.

Consider these possibilities:

• Invoices
• Receipts
• Auto-responders
• Envelopes
• Email signatures
• Form letters

As you look at your communications, ask these questions:

• Is our mission expressed?
• If not, how can it be incorporated cleanly?
• How memorable are we?
• How can we add valuable info in small spaces that are usually wasted?
• How can we build goodwill in what is typically wasted space?
• Are we likeable-as a company?

Any new ideas on making the most of wasted space on standard (dare I say–boring) communications?

Post your thoughts. I’d love to hear from you!