Ever want to know the Facebook tips and secrets that can help you succeed using social networking. This conversation goes along well with Facebook Tips: Three Secrets to Build Better Relationships that we discussed in July. Here are my favorite five (this might also be called the Facebook fab five):

1.  Fan Pages are not as useful as personal pages for small businesses. When you are small you are at the crucial point in a business where you need to develop the relationships that will bring you business for today and in the long run. The best place to do that on Facebook is through personal pages.

Fan Pages are good to set up, but do not create one and then pray to the almighty for 100,000 fans next week. Not going to happen. Instead, focus on creating relationships on your personal side that will eventually transfer over to your fan page.

2.  Facebook is no longer a Gen X or Gen Y thing. Instead, it is a global community of people from all walks of life. Baby boomers and seniors are now the fastest growing segment on Facebook. All of the baby boomers who say this is a kids things need to check to see their friends who are using this successfully.

My parents now comment on my posts on Facebook and my mom even recently posted a link to a charity she was working with to get additional exposure on Facebook. I am coming out with a historical literature book now that I wrote with my dad’s best friend. He has MS and is online talking to people on Facebook and other communities on a daily basis. Age is not important on Facebook and in social networking in general.

3.  Facebook is the better than… for business. For some few people you will get better involvement out of Facebook than LinkedIn or Twitter. For most business people you need to use as many different social networking channels as possible. You will most likely not get all of your revenue from Facebook or LinkedIn. It will be a combination.

People ask me where I get my business from and sometimes I know and other times I think about the client that I met on Twitter brought over to Facebook and built a better relationship with them there,  and then 3 months later ran into at a networking event where I started helping them with my social networking services(check Smart At The Start Tab for more info). Is the client a Twitter source, Facebook, or networking? I am actually curious for answers here.

4. People did not go on Facebook to be pitched. They went on for an outlet for their time and energy. That is why limiting your advertisements is an art and science. You have to let people know what you do, because they would never ask, and at the same time you do not want to pester.

This has been the challenge that I have seen since I started. I do not agree with those who say you should not even advertise, because at some point you need to make people aware of your services or they will never use it.

5. All I need is a Facebook account to succeed in social networking. Facebook is an everyday affair where you continually work to get additional business just like cold calling, networking, and other marketing efforts. One shot wonders in social networking are rare, so instead focus on building relationships.

Now that you know the top Facebook tips and secrets you need to make sure you can succeed it is time to go and do it. Sharing great information, such as a social networking schmoozer blog post is a great way to start with your new understanding of Facebook tips and secrets.