Now that Facebook has digitally entrenched itself in every aspect our society, even the slowest to adapt are picking up the habit.
“No, Grandpa, I’m not joining your mafia– I don’t care if we’re family…..and stop poking me!”
This shift has allowed Facebook to move from a tool for marketing to college kids, towards an media that can touch everyone. For businesses, the process starts with creating a “fan” page. A Facebook Fan Page is a great tool for drumming up new business as well as keeping current clients —potentially.
So how do you convert all that potential into a positive movement?
Step 1.) Create Page – The easy part
- Include all contact information, physical addresses, and hours of operation
- Add picture of your logo or building for the photo
- Link to your website or blog
- Include quick elevator pitch under the [Basic Info -> About] section
*Note: This page is for your Business. Keep personal content to a minimum.
Step 2.) Get Fans – The hard part
In the age of the News Feed, users don’t click “Like” on just anything. The two keys to getting fans are; 1.) Creating real value users can only consume by “Liking” you, and 2.) Telling everyone about it.
Creating Value:
- Giveaways/Contests: Draw for a prize once you reach (X) number of fans
- Discounts: Post exclusive deals periodically that fans are eligible for.
ex. How do you like to unwind? The first 7 people to respond get 50% off their next trip to our spa! - Blog: Write about topics of interest to your customer base
- Q & A: Create a forum to discuss issues/get answers about your area of expertise
Telling Everyone about It
- Collaborate with Twitter: Putting links to your offers, giveaways, or blogs in Tweets is the best way to get your content seen and gain more followers. **Try to get people with lots of followers to Re-Tweet (RT) your Tweets.
ex. Please RT: Get 50% off at My Dayspa! Like us on Facebook to be eligible for daily exclusive deals! Link to FB Page - Talk About It: List your Facebook URL on your website, ads, business cards, mass emails, direct mail, etc… When you’re out in real-life social situations, tell people about it. Get the word out that you post content on Facebook that people want to see.
- Stay Active: It will take a commitment. To be effective you must hold people’s interest. Running a daily coupon/special is a great way to get attention.
- Run an Ad! (see last blog about Facebook Ads)
Treat your Facebook page as a marketing campaign. Track leads that come from Facebook to determine if the time you’re putting in is getting a worthwhile return. Now go get social networking!
