Social media networking has changed the way
we interact. We can now keep track of our family, friends and colleagues no
matter what the distance. We can share news and funny videos and keep in touch
in real-time.
Every day new users sign onto Facebook and are
becoming very savvy about using the apps and keeping the conversation going. At
the moment, Facebook has close to a billion users who interact with each other
daily.
How can your business tap into that
potential customer base?
First, you need to set up your
Facebook business page. Unlike your personal page, which has a limit to the
amount of “friends” you can register, a business page is for “likes.” Think of
it as a fan page for your product or service. The basics of this type of
Facebook page are the same as a personal home page but you can have unlimited
“likes” which means the potential to reach millions. The goal is to turn all
those “likes” into paying customers.
Here are the steps you should follow to
make those sales conversions:
Step
1: Share Information
The way to build credibility is through providing
frequent and relevant content that proves your expertise. This doesn’t mean
that you post sales information. The content that you provide should be
targeted towards solving the pain points that your prospects have.
However, this doesn’t mean it has to be a static
press release you post on Facebook timeline. Think more visual.
Make a fun video demonstrating your
product. At the very least you should have engaging photos which will draw
attention to the post. Think of your own Facebook experiences - what attracts
you to click on a friend’s post? Videos and pictures. Keep in mind that this
has to be an ongoing process. You can’t just post one video and expect traffic
to your website. You need to constantly update your content.
Step
2: Special Offers
Once you have informed your Facebook
friends about what you’re selling, offer
them a promo code for a special discount. Hopefully, this will get them to
click over to your site and start shopping. Everybody likes a discount!
Following up on the special promo codes,
you could occasionally put out a “limited time offer.” This heightens the sense
of urgency for your customers to respond. If you’re going to do down this road
you need to make the limited time offer truly unique. Go big and see the kind
of response rate you’ll get. Remember your goal is attract shoppers. Once they
have benefited from a special offer they might just keep coming back.
Remember to engage
your customers on a regular basis! Post news updates regularly, ask
questions and encourage comments. Provide incentives for fans to be engaged
with you – reward those who post relevant content. Remember, they are there for
a reason – to connect with your business.
Make sure you do that.
Step
4: Build your Database
As with any type of online business, you’ll
want to gather the email addresses of potential customers for your own database.
You can do this on your Facebook page by setting
up an opt-in form to collect addresses. Contests and give-aways are the
best ways to encourage visitors and fans to provide your company with their
emails.
Be transparent though. You should tell your
customers that you’ll use the email to alert them to special offers and
exclusive deals.
Make them feel like they’re part of the
“inner circle.”
