Starting a Facebook page

[Former_Member]

I want to start a Facebook page but I have couple of questions. When I go to Facebook to start a page, I can start it as a local business, brand or as an artist. I can't decide which one would be best. What would you recommend? If I choose brand or product, jewelry and watches is the closest. However, I want to expand into crocheted home accessories and coffee cozies at some point so jewelry and watches seems to narrow for me. How soon after starting your shop did you start your page? Did you invite all your Facebook friends to like your new page, or just some of your friends that you know like crafts? Or did you just put a link in your profile as a status update? I want to promote my shop but I don't want to be spammy either.

[HausofAriella]

I started my fb page as a brand and invited a few friends who I thought would be supportive and wouldn't mind to like it. I also put it as a status update on my personal profile when I first started it. I started the fb page for my first shop a few weeks after starting my shop, but for my new shop I started it almost immediately.

[Former_Member]

Thanks, I am leaning towards starting the page as a brand.

[Former_Member]

Anyone?

[Former_Member]

I did for both of my shops and it has definitely been helpful for my handmade shop since I have a lot of followers but not yet for this one since I only have a few. When I have something new in my handmade shop I post it and I have gotten quite a few sales on there from it.

[ollieandmaxsoapco]

I started mine right away as a business. I have had many sales from FB and definitely recommend it as a way to promote your business.

[Former_Member]

It sounds like a good way to promote my shop.

[Former_Member]

I started my FB page about a month after I opened my shop - mine is a local business.

I definitely posted a status to my individual page when I launched the Facebook page, and 'invited' about 100 friends and family to Like the page as well.

Currently about 150 of my 650 FB fans are friends and family of mine - they are GREAT at sharing Page status updates and photos to their own friends! Love that word-of-mouth marketing!