Using a personal profile as a brand is actually a violation of Facebook’s terms of service (TOS), and by doing so, you run the risk of Facebook pulling out the big stick and revoking your access. Wow, sounds a bit harsh, doesn’t it? I mean, really, you’re just trying to make a buck…

Not to worry, there’s a better way to expand your exposure and reach on the big boy of social networks without fear of the big stick coming out.

As a small business owner you want to get yourself set up with an official Brand page. Brand pages are better suited for local marketing because they allow anyone to “like” you (no approving friends), there’s no maximum on how popular you can get, and they offer SMBs more robust media and promotion offerings. The fact is, Brand pages are simply the better option. By not using them and sticking to a personal profile, you limit your brand’s ability to really reach out and engage customers.

With the recently introduced Profile Migration tool, Facebook is making it even easier to have much more functionality and better promote your business to customers. Here is an easy to follow Youtube video that takes you through the process: Profile Migration Tool

Personal Profiles with your Business name are not the Facebook way to go anymore, so make the switch today!

I wrote a blog post several months ago about a solution I had come across that saved me some time.

The issue is that I take profuse notes in a Word doc when I’m meeting with clients. Since I can type about 9.6x faster and 187% more legibly than I can write by hand.  I typically write out task items and notes like this:

Task #1

• This is important to do
• This should also be done

Task #2

• This is uber-important
• Don’t forget to do this, or client will kill you

When I’m done taking all my notes, I add those to Basecamp for the rest of the team, and so we have a nice backup that can also be searched later by our staff or the client.

The Problem is that Word formatting doesn’t allow a simple copy/paste into Basecamp.  And while I’m pretty savvy at writing in Textile, I’m not as fast and therefore don’t do it when I’m working in Word.

The Solution that I found several months ago was a Macro for Word that would convert a .docx into a format that is ready for MediaWiki.  That’s not exactly what I needed, because it’s close – but it’s not Textile. I was still having to manually edit my notes and that was a pain.

The New Solution is that I’ve hacked the original file from InfoPro.com to meet my needs exactly, and the result is a perform conversion from Word to Textile that I can copy and paste without any editing! Thanks to those guys for giving me the start to work with, because I would never have taken the time to do this if I had to start from scratch!

Installation

1. Download our Word2Textile macro (<-right-click and Save As)
2. Start Word
3. Bring up the Visual Basic Editor (Tools->Macro->Visual Basic Editor)
4. From the VBE, import the macro library (File->Import File…) and select the file you downloaded

Usage

1. Open a word document to convert
2. Run the Word2Textile macro by bringing up the Macros dialog (Tools->Macro->Macros), selecting Word2Textile and clicking Run.
3. The macro converts the document to Textile markup and places a copy of the content on the system clipboard.
4. Open up the Basecamp message or writeboard you will use, and be sure you are in Textile/HTML mode. It should look like this:
5. Paste your content (which is automatically copied to your clipboard by the Macro) and Voila!

If this little technique saves you as much time as it saves me, then you’re welcome.

Big News in the Social Media world!! As we’ve talked about often, Facebook is rapidly becoming THE go-to tool for Social Media Marketing. Businesses are jumping on the bandwagon and bringing entirely new facets to the art of client interaction.

Facebook, has finally provided something that businesses have been requesting for some time: a migration tool to convert a personal Profile into a Facebook Page.

Why would you want to do that? Profiles are for meant individual people, they aren’t suited to meet your business needs. Pages offer more robust features for organizations, businesses, brands, and public figures with better communication, more opportunities for expression, and improved relevancy.

Gone are the days of using a personal profile that was setup with a business name and “friending” as many people as possible. The most prevalent issue with this strategy (aside from violating Facebook’s Terms of Service), is that a personal profile has a 5,000 friend limit.

The migration tool allows you to convert that personal profile into a Page, and carry all of your friends over there with you. This is far superior to creating a new Page for your business and “Suggesting to Friends” using Facebook’s admin tool, which typically has a very low conversion rate.

Be aware though, not all content will make the transition. From Facebook Developer Blog “Be aware that when you convert your profile to a Page, your profile pictures will be transferred, and all of your friends will be automatically added as people who like your Page. No other content will be carried over to your new Page, so be sure to save any important content before beginning your migration.”

It’s a smart move to utilize this exciting feature and bring the full power behind the Facebook network to your business. We can help you make the transition and get the most out of your online marketing.

One of the most powerful tools available today is the use of the internet to build and grow your business. But like any powerful tool, understanding how the tool works and its capabilities are vital for its success. In the wrong hands or when used by someone lacking the needed skill, the results can be disastrous. The very same principal applies to Search Engine and Social Media Techniques.

The team at Valeo Marketing is on the cutting edge of the latest developments within the Social Media and Search Engine market. By staying up to date and informed on the most current trends and applications, Valeo Marketing can transform your online marketing efforts into a formidable online presence.

With attention to detail and customer service beyond what you expect, the team at Valeo Marketing applies proven techniques utilizing SEO (Search Engine Optimization) procedures. Understanding the importance of using the right Key words, providing the most relevant information and knowing the best way to receive optimal exposure on the web, the team can help your business navigate through the channels to bring you visibility and business growth online call 800.647.4552 or contact us.

If you aren’t satisfied with the results your online efforts are bringing, or especially if you currently don’t have any online efforts, it’s time to contact the Team at Valeo Marketing. Let their expertise, knowledge and professionalism help your business realize its full potential.