How to Use Your Personal Facebook Profile for Business

Because much of Facebook is used to connect with family and friends, many of us don't know how to approach them to buy our products. Here are a few tips to help you move forward in sharing what you do with those close to you:

• Share the personal story behind your creation or vintage item.
• List the ways it will help accomplish some goal for others.
• Explain what your goals are in selling items in your store, such as saving for college or a mission. [Avoid sob stories or mentioning charities, as those may make some people believe you are a scammer. -Francesca]
• Share when you get a heart or someone features your item in their treasury list.
• When items have been in your shop for a while, ask for opinions of the photos or advice on how to market the product better.
• Always remember to keep things light and friendly so that others will enjoy talking to you and you will be a welcomed contact. 
• Never be afraid to share; get rid of the fear that others will steal your ideas and customers. Who knows--maybe sharing your talents with others will cause someone to gain the courage to share their talents as well.
• If your items are pricey, go into detail on the time it takes to create an item as well as the quality of the materials used. Once people understand what it takes to create your items, they will understand and value them.
• Offer to give your contacts a break in the prices, but make sure you include directions on contacting you first so that you can create a special listing for them with your new price that is just for them.
• Offer to put their name in a drawing for free products if they share your store on their wall. Have them contact you back with the listing once they have done so.

These are just a few ideas I have found to work well in sharing with my contacts on Facebook. Happy sharing everyone!

Note: Many of these tips work well for business Facebook pages too.

Get "My Etsy" on Your Facebook Page

This article I wrote is very helpful, but I've realized that some of you have found a hurdle that you can't jump!

"My Etsy" is an application that you can add to your Facebook Page and can be very nice - unless you can't get it to work!  I've found that some people have Secure Browsing enabled in their privacy settings, and that setting doesn't allow My Etsy to connect.  Here's how to navigate the maze of Facebook and get My Etsy onto your page! (click on any image to enlarge!)

Log into your Facebook account.

In the upper right hand corner there is a little arrow facing down (same place that gives you the menu with the Log Out option). Click on the arrow, click on Privacy Settings.

Scroll down to Apps and Websites and click on Edit Settings. In the Apps You Use section click on Edit Settings.

 

In the menu on the left, click on Security.

Check your Secure Browsing - if it's enabled My Etsy won't work. Click Edit.

You'll have to disable it (I think you can re-enable it after you've added My Etsy. It just doesn't want to add it while it's enabled!).  Un-check "Browse Facebook using secure connection (https) when possible" and click Save Changes.  It will now say that Secure browsing is disabled. 

  

From here, you can type in My Etsy in the search bar. The app will be a selection. Click it.

 

Click Add To My Page.

 

If you are an admin on multiple pages, you'll need to choose which one. Click Add My Etsy.

 

It will then take you to the Wall of your Page. Click on My Etsy in the menu on the left.

 

You will need to enter in your Etsy username.Click Submit.

 

Decide if you want to show your favorites or just your own shop.  I did just my own shop for my page.  Click Create My Etsy Tab.

 

It's ready to go!  To see it, click on the My Etsy tab in the menu on the left!

Any other questions or problems?  Mention them in the comments and I'll see what answers I can find!

How to Manage an Effective FACEBOOK Page

As I’m sure you’ve noticed, just about every business has a Facebook Page.  Businesses don’t have a page just because it’s the popular thing to do; it’s a way of getting into the world of your potential customers.  A Facebook Page centralizes quick links to your main website and contact info, it showcases desired photos, and can even connect customers who can share personal stories of success with your product.  Best of all – it’s free!
All you need is a little bit of time to set up the page and then spend a few minutes a few times a week to check how things are going.

Facebook Page Set-Up

If you want a Facebook Page, but don’t have one yet, here is a great link specifically for Etsy Sellers.  Be sure to set up your “MyEtsy” section.  Here’s what mine looks like:

Click Image to Enlarge

The MyEtsy application shows your banner with your shop items.  If they click on an item, it will take them directly to the item’s listing in your shop at Etsy.  Also, if a page visitor clicks on “Share,” then their Facebook post will include a link to the same item’s listing at Etsy.  Handy, don’t you think?
When you have at least 25 fans, you can get a shortened link address.  This makes it much easier to share your site address.  When logged into Facebook, go to http://www.facebook.com/username.  Select the Page that you are giving a username.  If you click “Check Availability,” it will automatically assume you want it if it’s available, so be sure to pick something you like and can easily remember.

Regular Check-Ups

Now you’ve got a page. 
Here are some tips of what to post and how to encourage visits and comments on your page.

• Post Lots of Links
• Etsy Treasuries (featuring you, one’s you like, some you’ve made, etc.)
• Blog posts (if you keep a blog, this is a great way to announce that you’ve posted something new!)
• Blog features (include links when other blogs are featuring your shop)
• New Items in your shop
• New shops (promote friends, family and fellow-sellers!) – tag their Facebook Page in your post by using the “@” symbol just before their page name

Click Image to Enlarge

• Showcase “1000 Words” (Photos) – Pictures are a great way to get people to look!  For most people, it seems to be easier to process photos than reading words.
• New items
• New logos
• Current Items (sometimes posting a photo of an item that’s been sitting in the shop can give it new activity.  Better yet, post a new photo of the same item)
• Plans – sometimes you can spark interest by sharing a photo (just give them a hint, not the whole plan!) of something you’ve got in the works

Click Image to Enlarge

• Be a Person, Be Personable
• Respond to comments left on your page in a timely manner. 
• To quickly check if anyone has made a comment, click on “Notifications” in the menu on the right side of the page. 
• If there is anything new, there will be a number (how many notifications you have waiting) that will be floating at the end of the word “Notifications”
• Be friendly
• The Etsy world gives us a unique opportunity to give personalized customer service even to people across the world
• Show that you care about them as a person as well as a potential customer
• Share Success
• Ask select customers if they wouldn’t mind taking a photo of the item they purchased from you and linking it to your page.
• They can also share by uploading a photo to your page

Click Image to Enlarge

Those are the three main things that I do to keep my page engaging.  I’d love to get more ideas!  If you do something on your Facebook Page that works, please leave a comment and share with our readers!

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www.annavirginiafashion.com

www.facebook.com/annavirginia

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Facebook Favorites

Hello Team!
For those of you who are on (or thinking about joining) Facebook:

Facebook has updated the way that you Add a Page to Your Page's Favorites! I wrote them an email, requesting a change, and although they didn't do what I had in mind, it's still better than the way it was!
Now, go to a page that you already LIKE. Underneath the Profile Pic there is a link that says: "Add to My Page's Favorites." Click the link, and ta-da! it's in your faves. So simple!

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I suggest that we each add LDS Etsy Members to your page's favorites. I'd also like to see us link to each other that way as well! Start by adding the pages that are easy to find right there on our wall, and then we'll be adding team member's pages to this page's faves. Then go through the list and add them to your own!

Let me know if you have any questions!
~Anna
http://www.annavirginia.moonfruit.com

Our Facebook Page

Empressive designs had the great idea of starting a facebook page for the LDS members of Etsy. So HERE it is. Please like our site and let your friends know about it!

Our Facebook Page should have important info about our group- what we want to do and any contests individual sellers are having. (I do love a good giveaway). The First Contest: Get to 500 fans. If you "like" our page on facebook and come back to the blog and leave a comment you will be entered to win a contest for a 20 dollar gift certificate to Amazon.com.
the comment obviously has to have a way of contacting you. If you were referred by a different LDS Etsy team member you should write their name down too! They might win a prize for being so awesome.

Thanks for your patience and support as we get more established as a team. We are building our own little Zion on Etsy after all.

• Disclaimer: the only thing you have to do in order to win this contest is "like" our page on facebook and leave a comment here. You do not have to be a member of the LDS church or be part of Etsy. We would like it if both were true.

• Multiple Entries will disqualify you.

• Extra Entry- follow our blog and leave a comment that you do
  

• Contest Closes once we have 500 "likes" on facebook. Invite all your friends! You can get multiple entries when someone else mentions your name in their comment.

• Winner will be chosen randomly within 24 hours of contest closing.

Welcome to our first giveaway!