Like a beautiful car or the perfect woman, you have to maintain.

Do you leave your house for a meeting without taking a shower? How about brushing your hair or removing the dog hair from your clothes? I should hope not. These days, the first thing people see isn’t your hair, your face, or your clothes. It’s your online persona.

If you’re not maintaining your Facebook as a professional sales rep, you’re missing OuT on one of the biggest opportunities! If you don’t believe me, ask Burberry.

As a former retailer I had sales reps I loved and some I ducked for cover. Don’t be the duck and cover. Here’s how to get your personal Facebook shining like a freshly waxed car. Or woman.

• Share posts from your local retailers: This toots the horn of others vs. tooting your own.
• Like and comment on all local retailers posts: Do this often, not just when they’re showcasing your brand’s products. I give Facebook interactions a rating system. You decide the extent in which you support your fellow retailers.

LIKE = 1 point

COMMENT = 2 points

SHARE = 3 points

• Post your own family pictures and engage as a human being: This may seem like a no-brainer, but many of us retailers forget that we’re not selling all the time.
• Show the processes in your job: People will naturally appreciate you more when they realize you’re having to lug catalogs around or update your iPad catalogs at midnight after being on the road selling all day. Tell about helping your customers put out stock or correct a mis-shipped order. This shows humanity and compassion. This personal approach gets more social interaction than almost anything else… beside pictures of ridiculously cute cats.
• Tell about the fun you’ll be having at market: Las Vegas Market anyone? Whether you’re in the field here in Vegas or you have your own conferences around the world, gain interest in them by showing unique experiences. Trust me. It works.
• Use internet trends and hashtags to your advantage: Trends come and go, but the “Likes” to your page are there to stay. Use internet trends to your advantage. Before market arrives, use Throwback Thursday (#TBT) or Flashback Friday (#FF) posts show photos of you with clients during last season’s market. More pointers on hashtags and internet trends couldn’t hurt, either.
• Take pictures of things you like: Cool displays in stores you’re visiting, places with a beautiful view, things you’d like in your home. Show retailers what you like as a consumer.
• Share current news about your field: This creates the need or the desire for change within retailers and consumers.
• Create a brand out of your good service and good name: I’m a big fan of making your own slogan. Create a word or a phrase that you use combined with your brand that will stick in their minds.
• Don’t be afraid to be yourself: Not to say you shouldn’t be filtering everything you say and write (don’t get me started on that one), but your personality should manifest itself on Facebook. You like running? Tell them. Are you a little obsessed over Christmas ornaments? Great. Post it for Christmas. Anything could generate response.

One of my favorite reps of all time, Josh Jarboe would come to my design studio, go through my catalogs, update price sheets, tear pages out of catalogs, and email me updates. He would help me find products that weren’t available. He helped me get products made… even the fish lamps that are in my office today … and no one else has anything like them!

Josh went above and beyond the call of duty. Today, he is the National Sales Manager of Global Views. Every time I see him I think, “What a well-deserved position! Good for him!”

Folks, good things happen to good people. When you showcase your goodness on social media, the world is able to take note. There are tons of things we do throughout the day that can be recorded, documented, and a message conveyed. Most of our lives are interesting to someone, somewhere. Take the best photos and videos that you can. Document your experience and show the world what you’re made of. That’s what I did in the very beginning and now you’re listening to me….or so I think you are.

All right, ARE you listening? Did I miss anything here? Hit me with your best shot!!!