If you’ve started a business Facebook page, then you’re on your way to a good start! That’s the good news. The bad news is that if you don’t utilize your company’s Facebook page properly, you may be missing out on some big opportunities in terms of a very cost-effective marketing campaign. Our clients often ask how they should work with their business Facebook pages to best utilize the asset, so we figured we would pass along some of the information that we like to share with our own clients.
- Post It. Have a great idea? Having an amazing sale? Got some fantastic advice? If something has popped into your head that you think your customers and potential consumers could benefit from, post it! Keep a small notebook with you (be it digital or otherwise) so you can jot down your posting ideas when you’re not able to get them into cyberspace immediately. For those ideas that can stand the test of time (at least, for the time being), you can pin or highlight your post so it is more eye-catching when people pop onto your page.
- Reward Referrers. For some folks, Facebook’s sole purpose is sharing photos of a gorgeous plate of steak and eggs. For you, as a business owner, Facebook is putting a valuable marketing tool into the palm (or onto the fingers) of your hands. Reward people that refer their friends to your business. Maybe you give a certain percentage or dollar amount off for the person that refers your 500th “like”. Maybe every customer that refers a friend and is mentioned by that new “like” is entered into a monthly drawing for a small reward. Rewards don’t have to be huge or intricately designed to be enormously powerful.
- Socialize Your Social Media. Every social media site has its benefits into a new world of customers that may not yet know that you exist. Just because you’re posting on Facebook, it doesn’t mean that your Twitter followers (or potential Twitter followers) won’t be interested, too. The great thing about today’s social media world is that, while the various sites may compete against each other, they all work quite well for us on the user side. Social media sites work quite well together, so promote yourself via all possible channels.
- Be Irresistible. Make your customers an offer they can’t refuse. Can you offer 10% off if they show a certain post when they come into your establishment? Can you advertise a one-day sale for people that have “liked” your page? Can you promise top-secret reveals in the upcoming weeks that only they’ll be privy to? It’s no secret that people like feeling special, so utilize that human emotion to your benefit.
- Create a Link. What good is a great Facebook page if nobody knows where the ideas originated? Link to your own website. And on the other side, make sure that your blog or website are linking to your Facebook page. This is really easy to do if you utilize your blog’s closing paragraph with a call to action that directs your audience to talk about your post on your Facebook page. Something like, “Like what we have to say? Share your thoughts at our XYZ Facebook page!” with a hyperlink on “our XYZ Facebook page” can mean big things with a small amount of effort!
- Be Actionable with Your Information. Newsletters are awesome. They help your customers learn more about who you are, what you do, why you do it, and what you’re going to do next. Make sure that you create a newsletter that’s actionable. In that, we mean something similar to the idea in #5. In other words, after you tell people how great you are and what you’re doing to be even better, make sure that your newsletter has a link to your Facebook page. People, in general, are naturally curious creatures, and if you’ve created a compelling newsletter, your audience will be more likely to want to learn a little more about you. Facebook helps to make this an interactive experience.
- Be Your Own Logo. Naturally, you’ve put tons of time and money into your logo and branding, but on your business Facebook page, the cover photo is one of the first impressions that new visitors will have about you and your business. Create a custom cover photo that will be just as recognizable as your company’s logo. Make sure that it serves the purpose and mission of your business, because, after all, a picture really is worth a thousand words.
- Advertise Yourself. Don’t count out Facebook ads. They’re well-designed to target exactly whatever demographic you are looking for. Facebook’s technology is advanced, and its entire purpose is to find the people that are talking about companies like you or in locations where your business resides, and bring you together in beautiful, harmonious bliss.
If you’re still not convinced that you’re running your company’s Facebook page properly, it’s always okay to ask for a little assistance! Our team at Optimum Systems Online is skilled in this sort of thing, and we’re happy to help! Contact a member of our team today, and let us know what we can do for you.