Spotlight On: Cedarwood Essential Oil

  Botanical Name: Cedrus atlantica

Type of Plant: Evergreen tree

Method of Extraction: stream distillation of the sawdust

Like most essential oils that are derived from trees, Cedarwood is excellent for helping to “ground” someone, or find their roots.  From a perfumery stance, this oil is a base note and will anchor any blend it’s used in.  I love its subtle, coniferous scent.  You can tell it’s from an evergreen tree, but it’s not an overwhelming pine-like scent.  Men in particular seem to enjoy this oil’s aroma.

Although I use it mainly for its psychological effects, Cedarwood also has many applications for physical ailments.  This oil is a member of the Pine family, and like its brothers & sisters, Cedarwood is great for respiratory problems.  It can be used in a chest rub to help break up and expel mucus.  Just add 3 drops to a tablespoon of oil and massage into the chest before bedtime.

This oil is also an effective bug and pest repellent, especially against moths.  We’ve all heard of hanging cedar blocks in the closet, or storing our linens in a cedar-lined chest, haven’t we?  Moths just don’t like cedar, and the same goes for the essential oil.  Not just moths, either.  I use this oil as one of the ingredients in my Nature line of products. Note – my “Nature” line is so named because archaic laws prevent me from calling anything that does not contain DEET a bug repellent.  So I just suggest you apply some before stepping out into Nature and see what happens.  Or rather, what doesn’t happen, and that will be getting eaten alive by flying nasties!

There are different types of Cedarwood oil out there, but Atlas is the most commonly used in aromatherapy.  Be sure to check the botanical name of any essential oil you purchase to ensure it is the correct oil.  If the botanical name is not listed on the label, do not purchase essential oils from that supplier.

Little Things (Part Two)

Today I’ll be featuring the wonderful work by Everyday Gourmet.  (Just click any picture to go to the listing). 

 

Look at the detail on that beef enchilada dinner!  My mouth is watering right now.  Of course, no miniature fake-food meal would be complete without my favourite dessert, strawberry shortcake!  And she has several varieties to choose from!

When I showed the following salad to my friend, Steff, she said, “I feel like I cannot go another day without having that little salad!”  I know exactly what she means!  Before I found Etsy, I had no idea that scaled miniatures with this level of detail even existed.  Now I’m just fascinated by this form of artwork.

Next time I’ll be looking at Petit Plat, another source for incredible miniature food delights.

Aromatherapy and Intuition

When using essential oils to treat the mind and spirit, the number one factor that determines how effective the blend will be has nothing to do with chemical properties of the oils.  It all depends on the nose of the client – if they don’t like the smell of a blend, it just ain’t gonna work! 

Consider this:  Coriander is known for its uplifting properties, and has been called “The Herb of Happiness”.  However, if one cannot stand the smell of coriander, being exposed to it throughout the day (whether by skin application or through inhalation/diffusion) will do very little to reduce feelings of unhappiness or levels of stress. In fact, it could actually contribute to stress levels because one will come to dread every application!

Our bodies will naturally be attracted to what it needs the most.  A recent client of mine complained of tight ligaments & tendons, as well as some digestive issues. She used muscle testing to choose her own oils.   Despite having no knowledge of the properties of the oils, she chose Rosemary and Cardamom, two oils that were perfectly suited to help with her physical complaints.

In her book, The Fragrant Mind, Valerie Ann Worwood, a world-famous aromatherapist from the UK, assigns personality traits to essential oils.  Look how my two favourite oils size up:

Grapefruit: Radiating, Cheering, Joyful, Liberating, Boosting

Ylang Ylang: Euphoric, Sensuous, Stimulating, Unifying

Anyone who knows me personally would never in a million years use any of the above words to describe my personality!  I’m more like the character Darlene from the old sitcom Roseanne – cynical, sarcastic, moody, not girly-girly or even the slightest bit “sensuous”. Yet these two oils combine to create my favourite aromatic blend, a blend that I’ve always been very drawn to.  Why?  My body knows that I need these oils to help balance out my personality.

Try it yourself at home.  Go to your stash of essential oils (if you have one).  If you don’t, you can do this in a store using their sample bottles.   Look at the oils.   Which one is calling to you?  Maybe you are drawn to more than one oil.  Smell them.  How does it make you feel?

If you know how, you can try the muscle testing technique to see which oils your body chooses.  Or use a pendulum.  Or simply close your eyes, reach out and grab one!  Which oil did you chose?

Now look up that oil in a reliable reference book.  What are its properties?  What sort of emotional or physical conditions is that oil reputed to help with?  If you aren’t sure how to interpret an oil, just post a comment here and I’ll help you out.

So. Which essential oil are you?

It’s the Little Things (Part One)

One of my favourite Etsy sports is browsing the miniature category.  I’m absolutely in awe of the artists who create these items.  The time, talent and patience that it must take to create scaled miniatures is beyond me.  Hats off to these talented artists!  If it weren’t for my two crazy children who are intent on destroying every nice thing I bring into this home, I would have my own little dollhouse and miniature buffet restaurant.

Narrowing down my favourites to feature in this post was so difficult.  Rather than leave anyone out, I decided to make this into a little series.   To see all the great stuff Etsians have to offer, just go here and browse your brains out!  If you own a miniature shop and would like to be featured, just contact me!

I’ll be starting the series with items from Puff Pastry’s shop.  When I contacted Vivien (the owner) to obtain permission to use her images, she was kind enough to offer my readers 20% off any purchase from her store!  This offer is good for all of June & July, so take advantage!  Just mention “HeatherScent sent me!” in the ‘message to seller’ section upon checkout.  She with either refund you the savings, or you can wait for a revised PayPal invoice.

What I love most about Puff Pastry is how she incorporates the miniatures into jewellery.  You just know that if you are wearing one of her items, you will get compliments and questions all the time.  This “Poison” Pendant is so me! My birthday is July 10, FYI, in case anyone is looking for any gift ideas.  (hint, hint!)

Poison not your thing?  Well then, how about some fruit or  ice cream?

MMMMMM..death by chocolate!

I’d get my ears pierced just so I could wear these:

I’m a sucker for anything with strawberries on it!

  There is a ton of more great stuff to browse at www.puffpastry.etsy.com  Be sure to check out all the cute stuff in her sold items as well!

My next feature:  1” scale miniature food by Everyday Gourmet.

You Scratch My Back…

One of my favourite blogs, Keeper of the Cheerios, is now offering a blog directory on her site.   I’m very excited to have my blog listed on Miranda’s site.   If you’ve never heard of this blog before, now is a great time to check it out!  I actually stumbled across it while searching for felt food patterns.  You can get your blog listed too!  Just fill out this form.  It’s absolutely free! All she asks in return is that you put her button somewhere on your blog.

Today I also discovered that Cathe Holden (who authors another of my favourite blogs, Just Something I Made), chose to feature the blog I nominated for her Great Blog Search Show & Tell.  

Having my link listed on these two very popular blogs is great exposure for me!  Thank you Miranda & Cathe! 

Spotlight On… Black Pepper Essential Oil

Botanical Name:  Piper nigrum

Part of Plant used: fruit/seeds (peppercorns)

Method of Extraction:  steam distillation of the dried and crushed peppercorns

Although nearly everyone is familiar with this spice when it comes to seasoning your food, many people are unaware of its applications in essential oil form, or that it even exists as an EO to begin with.

Black Pepper smells just like one would expect it to – spicy!   Except it won’t make you sneeze the way powdered black pepper does.  This is my go-to oil for muscle aches, pains and fatigue.  It can be very interesting incorporating this oil into a blend.  As a middle note, you don’t smell it right away, but when you pick up on it, it gives the blend a nice kick.

This oil has rubefacient properties – meaning it can cause the skin to turn red, especially sensitive skin.  This makes it a very warming oil, both for the physical body, and for the emotions.  Surprisingly, Black Pepper is also effective at treating fevers – like cures like!

As with the mint oils, Black Pepper is not compatible with homeopathic treatments.  If you are currently taking homeopathic pellets, please avoid this oil as it cancel out the effects of the medication.  Talk to your homeopath for more information about this.

Black Pepper also has a lot of applications for the digestive system.  Being a person with many digestive issues (us Cancers are ruled by the stomach, you know!), I use it frequently for a belly rub. Just add 2-3 drops to a teaspoon of carrier oil.  For constipation or flatulence, I massage in a circular motion – up the right side (ascending colon) and down the left side (descending colon) to encourage movement of the feces.  For diarrhoea or a nervous stomach, I massage in the opposite direction to calm the intestines.  I would avoid abdominal massage if you are pregnant, unless performed by a registered or licensed massage therapist.  Avoid all use of essential oils while pregnant unless you are under the care of a professionally trained aromatherapist.

Sugar Scrubs

Sugar scrubs are my favourite bath & beauty product, but I’ve never had much success at creating them.  Recently I received a bottle of Cocoa Absolute and have been dying to try it out with something!  This absolute is so rich that it smells like liquour.  Yum!  Mixed with vanilla, we have heaven in a jar.

The basic recipe for sugar scrubs is sugar, carrier oil and essential/fragrance oil.  You simply put your sugar into a container (I used a combination of turbinado and demerara brown sugar, but you can use anything you want), and add the carrier oil until you reach the desired consistency.  Some people like their scrubs quite dry and crumbly, others prefer a moister scrub.   You may add the essential/fragrance oils at the end, or you can add them to a bit of the carrier oil before mixing it in.

That’s it!  Now, keep in mind this is a recipe for home use.  If you want to manufacture and sell sugar scrubs, you need to think about things like shelf-life and bacteria growth.  Since the mixture is anhydrous (i.e. doesn’t contain water), it shouldn’t be a breeding ground for bacteria.  In reality, sugar scrubs are normally stored in a damp, humid bathroom, or in a shower stall or bathtub ledge, and probably will be contaminated with water.

Since I had some unscented facial cleanser on hand, I thought, “Why not replace the carrier oil with the cleanser and make a face scrub?”  Here is the result:

 

It’s actually working quite well (and smells divine).  One thing I noticed is that the demerara sugar dissolved immediately, and the rest of the sugar seems to be dissolving as well.  Each day I noticed that the volume of scrub in the jar has been reduced, and not just from my use!  I think this means that I didn’t use enough sugar to super-saturate the liquid.

If any sugar-scrub making experts wish to chime in, I’m more than welcome to advice!  I do not plan to market my scrubs, they are just for my own use.  And possibly gifts to friends that I really like :)

Advanced Topics in Facebook Pages – Adding a badge to your blog

{As Facebook is an ever-changing entity, as of April 2010, some of the information in this blog post may be out-of-date. I’m working on updates. ~H}

A great way to promote your Facebook Business Page is to put a badge on your blog.  The benefit to using the badge rather than just linking a picture to your Page is that the Badge will update itself with your status and number of fans, whereas a picture is static.

Go to your Business Page and click on the “Edit Page” link found underneath the profile picture.  You need to be logged into Facebook in order to have access to the administrative features of your Page.

Now you will see a page with all sorts of fun options for your Page. Scroll down to the bottom right-hand corner and click on “Get Your Badge”.

The following window will pop-up.  You may click on “Edit this badge” if you wish to change what type of info will be included on the badge and the order it will appear in.  You can even change its orientation to horizontal.

Once you are satisfied with your badge, select the blog format you use, and you will be prompted automatically to add the badge to your page.  If your chosen format isn’t listed, you can just copy & past the HTML and add it to your website manually.

That’s it! Now the badge will automatically update itself when you update your Page’s status, change your profile picture, or gain new fans.

Inspired by Sears-Roebuck

Etsy is a great place for selling some of my products, but it’s not my only avenue for sales.  Due to prohibitive shipping costs, I’ve stopped listing many of my items on Etsy, but that doesn’t mean I’ve stopped making them.  Now how to let my in-person customers, co-workers, friends and acquaintances know what is currently in stock?

I came up with the idea of creating a catalogue. Since I’m in no position to be having anything professionally printed and bound, DIY was the only option.  Of course, simply creating the catalogue in a word processor and printing it out at home was the easiest option, but I wanted something more durable than just printed papers stapled together.  Then I remembered this stack of mini photo albums left over from when my son was a baby.  I saw them in a store while I was pregnant and they were on clearance for 50 cents each.  Well, with those perfect covers, how could I pass them up?  The plan was to make mini digital scrapbooks for everyone in the family with an update each month for the first year. I made it to ten months, and even that was only for grandparents.

First I removed the front and back covers and recycled them.  The front cover was replaced with an image I created in Photoshop; The rear cover, with a plain piece of cardstock.

I just realized I used the non-Canadian spelling for “catalogue” on the front cover.  Oh, well!

You will have to create a text file that contains all your descriptions.  I created mine in Word, setting the page size to 4”x 6”, and inserting a page break after each description so there would only be one per page.  In the interest of saving paper, I printed the descriptions 4 pages per sheet on letter-sized paper.  Getting the pages to print out that way took some finagling of my printer settings. Heavy use of the “print preview” feature was made!  You will probably need to select borderless printing, but every printer is different.  If printing 4-pages to a sheet proves too difficult, you can always just print out one page per sheet and use the remainder for scrap.  Everything will need to be trimmed down anyway.

After trimming,  I inserted each description into the album, with a picture of the product on the facing page.  Easy peasy!  Total cost per album is around $3, so I don’t plan on handing these out to every Joe Shmoe I meet on the street.  It’s just something I’ll carry around with me to show people when they inquire.  Select individuals may be trusted to take one home overnight. ;)

The great thing is that I can always add new products to the end of the album, and remove current products when they are out of stock.  It’s not set in stone (or ink, to be more accurate) like a printed and bound catalogue.

To give people something to take home with them, I’ll be creating price lists, which will  be printed on plain paper (in tri-fold brochure format), containing mini-descriptions of each product, but no photos.

Spotlight On: Ylang Ylang Essential Oil

Botanical Name: Cananga odorata

Part of plant used: flowers (tree blossoms)

Method of extraction: Steam distillation

Ylang Ylang (pronounced lee–ANG  lee–ANG  or  EE-lang EE-lang) is the kind of scent the evokes very strong feelings in people. You either love it or you hate it.   I am part of the “love it” camp.  Normally I am not big on floral scents but something about Ylang Ylang appeals to me.  My number one favourite blend is this oil combined with Grapefruit (or any citrus, really).

When purchasing Ylang Ylang, especially if it’s from a large supplier, you may notice there are several different grades available – I, II, III and Extra. Each one is pulled out a different time during the flower’s lengthy steam distillation process.  Extra is pulled off first and is generally considered the best quality (and most expensive) with the most therapeutic benefits for aromatherapy purposes.  Extra is only slightly more expensive than Grade I (which is what I use), Grades II and III are roughly half the cost of Extra.

This oil is known to most people as an aphrodisiac.  Some people refer to it as “poor man’s Jasmine”!   It’s also very sedating and can have a hypotensive effect on many people.  Overuse can lead to headaches (as with many other EOs), so don’t go crazy with this oil!  You’ll find that the scent is so overpowering that you don’t need a lot in a blend anyway.  Even though it’s a sweet, floral smell, Ylang Ylang is considered a base note when creating perfume blends.

I use this oil in my Sunburn Balm and will put it in a massage blend for people who are feeling blah and unattractive.

Recently I received a shipment of Ylang Ylang hydrosol.  Wow! I keep this with me at my day job to spray myself whenever I feel myself getting angry.  It really does the trick!  Hmmmm, I think I will try adding a bit of Grapefruit EO to the bottle! 

How do you use Ylang Ylang?

I know he is really my son

Because he lines up his dinky cars in a straight line.  Hey, if it’s not a right angle, it’s a wrong angle, I always say!

Facebook Pages 301 – Using Your Page

{As Facebook is an ever-changing entity, as of April 2010, some of the information in this blog post may be out-of-date. I’m working on updates. ~H}

You understand how Pages differ from personal profiles and you’ve created your first Page.  Now let’s cover the basic aspects of using the Page to communicate with your Fans/customers.

Help!  I can’t find my Page!

It’s common for people to create a Page and then not know how in the hay to get back to it!  While you are logged into FB, click on the “Ads & Pages” icon in the bottom left-hand corner (just as you did when you wanted to create the page).  Now that you are a Page administrator, you will see a different screen than you did the last time.  You should see a screen that looks like this:

From here, you can either click on the “Pages” link at the top, which will bring you to a list of all your Pages.  Or, just click on the Page name under “Recent Page Activity”.

What is my Page’s URL?

If you arrive at your page through a link on your profile, or via a search, the display URL will be some long, convoluted thing with multiple numbers, symbols and letters.  It will look something like this:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Windsor-ON/Heather-Scent-Aromatherapy/27114819226?sid=e4fa82228caf6ecc253d0b941a7d1469&ref=search

Sure, if you click on that, it will take you to my page.  But it’s so unsightly!  All you really need is the information up to the end of the first set of numbers, like this:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Windsor-ON/Heather-Scent-Aromatherapy/27114819226

You can even go one step further and delete your location (the location will only be there if you signed up as a local business), like this:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Heather-Scent-Aromatherapy/27114819226

Don’t try deleting the numbers; They need to be there.  Vanity URLs for FB Pages are available only to mega-celebs.  And something tells me that Madonnna and Bono are not reading my blog for tips on how to create a FB page!

There is also an application you can use to shorten the URL.  It has its pros and cons.  Pro – short URL for your Fan Page.  Con – anyone who doesn’t currently use the application will be taken to a landing page for the app. before being able to click through to your page.  Check it:  http://artist.to/heatherscent

UPDATE:  Facebook has announced that they will now be allowing vanity URLs (Usernames) to all Business Pages.  If you have 1000+ fans, the option is available as of June 13th.  But again, if you have 1000+ fans, you aren’t reading my blog!  For the rest of us, we can start choosing our usernames on June 28th.

ANOTHER UPDATE:  Vanity URLS are now available to anyone with 25 fans or more.  Go to http://www.facebook.com/username to claim yours.  Please be aware that if you haven’t chosen a username for your personal profile/account yet, you’ll need to that first.  Then you can pick a different username for your Page.

How do I get Fans?

You can start building your Fan base by letting the people on your Friend list know that you now have a Page.  Under your Page’s profile picture, click the arrow next to “More” to expand the list of options.  Next click “Suggest to Friends”.  Check off the names of any Friends you think would be interested in your Page.  You may only send 20 notifications a day, but you wouldn’t want to be sending more than that anyway.   Of course, your BFFs will have to become your Fans whether they want to or not because that is just what friends do! 

 

 

If you are an Etsy seller, there are daily posts in the Promotions or Etc… Forums that share Fan page URLs.  Just do a search for “Facebook” on the Forums.  Remember not to post your URL outside of the Promotions or Etc… forums!  If someone is asking a technical question about FB on the Business forum and everyone starts adding their URLs, the thread will get moved to the Promos section, and the original poster may never get the help they needed.

When you become a fan of someone else’s Page, you will be doing it under your personal name.  However, once you “fan” a Page, you have the option to “Add to my Page’s Favourites”.   The list of Pages that you ‘favour’ should appear somewhere on your Page’s profile, either in the Boxes tab, or on the sidebar.

When one of your Fans makes a comment on something on your Page, it will show up in his or her News feed.  Then their friends will see it in their Highlights (i.e., “Stefanie commented on Heather Scent Aromatherapy’s link”.) Now people that are friends of Stefanie (whom I may not know), may get curious and click the link.  They see my page, they like it and then they Fan me.  Then they make a comment on my Page….and the snowball grows.

Be sure to comment on other people’s Pages as well.  Since the comments will show up under your real name and not your Page’s name, I often ‘sign’ the comment with my username, Heather Scent.  That way, they can easily search for me on Etsy, or even plug that into a Facebook Search.  Be careful about posting your Page’s link on too many other Pages.  Some people may not mind it at all (I certainly don’t), but others might see it as you trying to horn in on their marketing territory, especially if you sell the same products.

What should I put on my Page?

One of the first things you will want to do is create a photo album with pictures of your products.  This way your Fans can browse through it whenever they want.  Make sure you keep the photos current.  When a product is no longer available, delete the photo, unless you are willing to custom- make another one.

Keep your page current, but don’t get spammy. Space your updates throughout the day, and try to avoid updating more than twice a day.  “Updates” include status updates, links, notes, photos, etc…  Each time you do one of those things, Facebook will publish a story in the Newsfeed of your Fans.  When you add new pictures to an album, publish them all at once, not one at a time.   No one wants to see your shop name 18 times in a row on their news feed.  That is a sure way to have someone Unsubscribe from your Page.  (When someone “unsubscribes”, that means they have hidden your updates from their News feed, but they remain a fan.  You can find out how many people are unsubscribing and how often by looking at your page Insights.  Insights are like Google Analytics for your Page – I’ll be talking more about them when I cover Advanced Topics in Facebook Pages.)

Keep the content interesting and relevant to your business and do not make every post a direct promotion.  For example, I often add links to great articles or books I’ve found about Aromatherapy or holistic health.   Constant, “Look what I made!  Buy my stuff!” posts get very old very fast and will lead to unsubscribers.

You may want to change the Settings on your Wall tab so that it is the default landing tab for your customers. Just click the “Settings” button in the upper-right corner of the News feed, and make the appropriate changes.  You can also control who can post to your Wall and what they can post.

You can also change the order of your Tabs – just drag & drop.  If you are wondering how I got a “Blog” tab on my Page, you’ll have to check out the Networked Blog application (see below – Advanced Topics).  

Next Up: Facebook Pages 401 - Advanced Topics

In the future, I will be blogging about:

How to create a badge for your blog (see mine?  Right over there <----!)

Using Insights

The Networked Blogs application, which makes posting your Blog updates to your Page a cinch. 

And any other topics I can think of pertaining to Pages!  If you have a question, feel free to ask.  If I know the answers, I’ll blog about it.  If I don’t know the answer, I will find it out and still blog about it!

Hello, Cuteness!

Today I popped into Value Village to get myself a new (old) tea pot.  Isn’t she pretty?

My son then found two toy trucks that he just had to have – one is a super cool car carrier for his dinky cars, and the other was a fire truck. (He is currently in his bed sleeping with both trucks as I type this).

But the real fun began at the check-outs.  The shelves beside the cashier were loaded with these little glass bottles.  10 for 99 cents!!  What????  Have I died and gone to cute bottle heaven? 

The little chubby ones with the veggie cork stoppers will be perfect for creating blends during treatments.  It’s very important to mix essential oils in glass (plastic will absorb the aromatic molecules), and keeping the mix covered is also imperative.  Essential oils are very volatile and if I were to leave the mix uncovered for the entire duration of the treatment, a lot of the oil would simply evaporate. Currently, I am using tall shot glasses to create my mixes and an upside down plastic medicine cup as the cap.  (I use the plastic medicine cups to measure out my carrier oils).

 

 

There were also some larger jars that were clearly designed to hold (bath) salts!  See, they even have “SALT” printed right on them.   In English and French!

I may need to go back tomorrow and buy the rest of their stock.  There were some other styles available but I couldn’t really take a lot of time to browse as my son was eager to drive his trucks out the front door of the store.

Today’s Funny

Aromatherapy for dogs.  :)

Facebook Pages 201 – Creating The Page

{As Facebook is an ever-changing entity, as of April 2010, some of the information in this blog post may be out-of-date. I’m working on updates. ~H}

So you think you understand this whole Pages thing and are ready to create your own. 

If you do not currently have a Facebook account, go to this page and sign up.  You could also create an account while creating your Page, but I find that signing up for your personal account separately helps eliminate some of the confusion we talked about in Facebook Pages 101.

Once you have your account, make sure you are logged in.  Click the “Ads & Pages” icon in the bottom left-hand corner:

Because I already administrate a few Pages, I see a screen that looks like this when I click that icon.  If you see this screen, click the “Pages” link at the top. On the next screen you arrive at, click the “Create Page” button.

However, since you do not currently administrate any Pages, you will most likely see a screen that looks like this one:

Choosing your Category is very important.  You will not be able to go back and change this. Different categories give you different  boxes that will show up on the Information tab of your Page.  I chose “Local – Other Business” since I also operate out of my home, selling products and giving treatments.  I was given the option to add my address, phone number, hours of operation, website, parking availability and details about access by public transportation.

If you chose “Brand, Product, or Organization”, you will be given the option to add a Company Overview, Mission Statement and Product Information.

The name you enter here is also important as this will be the identity of your Page.

Check the authorization box, type your name and then hit the “Create Page” button.

That’s it!  Your page is created!  Now the fun begins.

Before you start letting people know you have a Page, try prettying it up a bit.  You can add links, post comments and update your Page’s status just like you do on your personal profile.  If you are brand-spanking-new to FB, I’d suggest you check out this FAQ about using the Publisher (that’s FB’s fancy name for the box you click in when you want to type something).   While you are at it, read their FAQs about creating photo albums and adding pictures.   I can’t possibly explain all the nuances of FB here, but I’ll try to answer any questions you have!

Next up: Promoting your Page, attracting Fans and how to use your Page effectively.

Happiness is…

Getting a box of new books in the mail from chapters.indigo.ca!

Facebook Pages 101

{N.B. - As Facebook is an ever-changing entity, as of April 2010, some of the information in this blog post may be out-of-date. I'm working on updates. ~H}

What is a Facebook Page and why do I need one?

Facebook (FB) can be a great tool for communicating with your customers – if you use it the right way!  Maybe you already use FB to communicate with your family and friends.  Did you know you can also create a business profile (called “Pages”) that is dedicated to your business, band, social group or even a political or public figure?  It will look similar to your personal profile, but Pages allow you to network with others and market your business without sharing your personal profile or information. 

Before we get to the very simple steps of creating a FB Page, I’d like to address some common questions from people who are new using Pages.

 

Can I create a Facebook account for my business?

When you create your Page, you will be asked to register for FB first (if you do not already have an account).  You will register using your real name.  You may only have one FB account, and this account must be owned by an actual person.  Simply put, you may not create a FB business account and log in using your business name.  Technically, you can use any name you wish during the registration process, but if FB were to find out you have multiple accounts, or that an account is registered to a business name rather than a real person, they will delete the account.  This would be a shame if you had built up quite a following, only to have the account suspended or removed without any warning to your customers.

Once you have a personal FB account,  you will use that account to create and administrate FB Pages.  The Page itself is not a separate account.  You cannot “log in” as your Page identity.  You cannot “friend” a person or “fan”  another Page using your own Page’s identity. (Although you can make other Pages one of your own Pages’ Favorites – more about that later.) 

You can create more than one Page, which is great if you have more than one business.   You can add other administrators to your Pages as well.  This will NOT give them access to your personal profile, but they will have all the same control over the Business Page that you do.

How my Page appears to me while I’m logged into my personal account.

Why does my real name show up at the top of the screen? Why can’t I log in to Facebook as my Page’s name/identity?

Pages are not considered separate accounts, and therefore you cannot “log in” to them.  They are, however, a separate identity from your personal profile/account.  The two are not linked in any way, except that you are considered the administrator of any Pages you create.  When you log in to FB, you will be taken to the Home page of your personal profile, not your business Page because the actual FB account is under your real name.  As long as you are logged into FB, your name will be shown in the upper right-hand corner of the screen (next to the search box).  You are the only one who can see this information; It’s just there to let you know you are logged in. (You can see in the screenshot above that I ‘spray painted’ over my real name)

If you have become a fan of a Page that you also administrate, the updates from the Page will show up in your news feed on your Home page. 

 

Can my fans see my personal profile?

No. Your fans can’t see any personal information about you unless you also have it posted on your Business Page, or you have your personal profile’s privacy settings set to “visible by all”, or you have approved that Fan to be on your Friend list. See this article for more info about privacy on FB.

If you are a current FB user, the people on your Friend list will not be spammed by your new Page. Only the people that chose to become your Fans will see the updates from your Page.  People do not need to be on your Friend list to become your Fan, and there is a tool you can use to let your current Friends know that you now have a Page (more about that later).

Okay, I hope that clears up a few things!  I realized this post has gotten quite long, so I will be breaking up this topic into several posts.  Next up:  Creating Your Page.