“Recycled Books still has a drawing for a $75 gift certificate MONTHLY. All you have to do to enter is spend $20 on something awesome! — November 4 at 3:04pm”

This has become a common type of post on the popular social networking site Facebook for local businesses to promote specials and new products.

In this way, Facebook is evolving from a Web site for people to stay connected, or get reconnected, into a free marketing tool for Denton businesses.

DRC/Barron Ludlum

Robin Dillon uses MySpace to promote Recycled Books Records CDs. More and more businesses are using social networking Web sites to promote their products and services.

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Businesses join Facebook, create a page and then people can become a fan of their page, therefore receiving updates that the business posts.

“It’s huge,” said Tim Crouch of the marketing and promotions firm The Crouch Group Inc. “It is still emerging, but it’s a significant part of where business really is focusing.”

He said he believes creating a Facebook page is the next step after setting up a Web site.

Crouch began encouraging his clients to establish a presence on Facebook within the past year.

Crouch said it is a way to drive traffic to the business’s official Web site and it also enables customers to do marketing for the business.

Recycled Books Records CDs has pages on Facebook and MySpace, another popular social networking site.

Robin Dillon, Recycled assistant manager, said she doesn’t believe in using Facebook to offer special discounts to fans of its page, but to promote new collections the store receives.

“I thought that was the lamest way,” she said about giving coupons to people who add the business as a friend on Facebook.

She said that Facebook has been helpful in allowing customers to offer feedback, both good and bad.

Crouch said he doesn’t encourage his clients to post special coupons on their Facebook pages, either. Instead, he believes it should be used as a way to build relationships with customers.

Crouch said he believes “that in the social media world people are there for social purposes, not to be bombarded with advertisements.”

But some local business owners believe that offering discounts to Facebook fans helps business.

2nd Street on the Square has been open for almost one year, and it uses Facebook as a replacement for sending out e-mails to customers about specials and promotions. People want to give their e-mail addresses, but it is time-consuming to type them in, co-owner Leah Wood said, pointing to a book filled with collected e-mail addresses.

She said it is easier to redirect customers to Facebook because the majority of the shop’s fan base is already on the site and it is a way to communicate with everyone at once.

“It’s a universal platform,” said co-owner Jennifer Boncyk.

Boncyk and Wood use the store’s page to network with other local businesses, such as My Denton Music, the Boiler Room, Andy’s Bar and Hooligans.

Patrick Will, manager of Cups and Crepes, said he has Facebook and MySpace pages for his restaurant.

He said he uses them to let customers know about extended hours, dinner specials and live bands that are performing.

For example, he recently listed a promotion that allowed customers to receive a free cup of coffee from 8 to 11 a.m. simply by asking for it.

“Facebook seems to be the best social network for what we’re doing,” he said.

He said it is effective, free advertising, although Facebook does offer paid advertising.

“It is only as limited as you are technically,” Will said.

Golden Triangle Mall also is using Facebook to post various sales stores are offering and other events going on at the mall.

Aida Zihuatanejo, marketing director for the mall, said it is a quick way to send information out to the community.

One of the features of Facebook is setting up event invites, which allow a business to invite its page’s fans to an event.

People can then check a box that tells whether they are attending, might attend or will not attend.

Zihuatanejo said it is a good way to get a quick estimate about the number of people who will be attending.

She said Facebook also is a way to get feedback from customers, although sometimes the feedback can be overwhelming.

“I only have so much time in the day,” she said about having to post pictures and keep people updated.

The mall’s Facebook page is linked to other stores in the mall, such as Handmade Indian Crafts and Vertical Limit.

Crouch said he believes Facebook is a better business tool than MySpace and Twitter, although he is working on ways for his businesses to use Twitter.

But he said there is not just one right way to promote businesses on Facebook.

“It’s still evolving so much,” Crouch said. “I don’t think there is an absolute way to do it at this point.”

RACHEL MEHLHAFF can be reached at 940-566-6897. Her e-mail address is rmehlhaff@dentonrc.com.

Robin Dillon uses MySpace to promote Recycled Books Records CDs. More and more businesses are using social networking Web sites to promote their products and services.