This question falls almost in the same category as ‘should you have a blog?’.

The answer is partly dependant on what else you are doing.
If you are already operating at 110% doing your business accounts, inventory, human resourcing, and updating the content on your website on a regular basis, then the answer is probably no.

There is a distinct difference between having a facebook account and using a facebook account. Like any marketing tool these things have to be used to be effective, and unfortunately for facebook it is an amazing way to spend enormous amounts of time.
Something most smaller business owners have in short supply.

It takes time to build a network of ‘friends’. Unlike a website that is open to the public, a facebook account relies on that group of people who have voluntarily joined you in order to be fed your information.

That’s the second part. You need to generate specific information of interest to this inner circle. This has to be done on a very regular basis to keep them involved and engaged.

Warnings aside, lets say you have the time and your target market is correct for facebook.

Here are some handy tips for creating that effective facebook company profile.

1 Go slow and steady, don’t overdo it. Any marketing takes time, don’t blow all your energy in the first week!

2 Contact your fiends/fans directly. Welcome people individually that add themselves to your friends list, think of each new person as a potential lead for your business.

3 Don’t spam. Apart from facebook eventually catching up with you, its not a nice experience for your friends.

4 Consider it an educational experience. You don’t need to sell to every friend/fan. Your friend list is everything, give them something worthwhile to come back for.

5 Limit your advertising budget. If you choose to use faceboooks advertising package, start off small. Just like Google Adwords, test the waters carefully.

6 Only create one facebook account for your organisation. Multiple accounts is against facebooks terms, and it simply doesn’t add any value.

7 Use coupons and incentives. If its appropriate to your business, provide special offers to the exclusive group of facebook friends. Growing that list is all important and there needs to be benefits to being in the inner circle.

8 Post entertaining status updates. Keeping facebook friends engaged is important, a simple clever status update can do the trick.