For local businesses just getting started in the social media swing, don’t let yourself get overwhelmed. Social Media burnout won’t do you or your business any good.

Facebook is a good place to stick your toe in and test the water. What is it? It’s a social networking site which, once you join up for free, you can join networks which are organized by geographic location.

Five Tips To Getting Your Face On
1. Don’t just dive in. Remember we’re just sticking a toe in at first. Setting up your page right the first time is critical. Look at what other people in your field are doing. Get a feel for what seems to be working for them. Follow your gut instinct. Connect with some people and get acquainted.

2. In everything you do, don’t lose site of your personal brand.

3. Be absolutely creative, not pitchy. People don’t like being advertised to. In fact, most would rather jump out of a moving car. But, if you’re creative in your outreach, they can connect to your brand and they won’t feel like they’ve just been sold. If you think you don’t know how to be creative then seek help. Look for people that others have raved about in regards to Facebook marketing and contact them.

4. Don’t use Facebook as your web site (don’t use Myspace as your web site either). Social media has it’s place and it’s not as your company web site. Social media is just what the name says… social.

5. Learn the ins-and-outs before you begin to be creative. Melissa Schenk of eHow has created a wonderful 15 online video course for getting started on Facebook. Click here to view the videos now or bookmark them for later.

You’re never intimidated to do something if you are confident in what you’re doing. What would you do if you knew failure wasn’t an option? Skydive with a $10 parachute? You don’t even have to do that. The videos at the above link should help you gain the confidence by first hand experience to begin your evolution into the world of Social Media.

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