THE ESSENTIAL MINI-GUIDE TO FACEBOOK BUSINESS MARKETING
Table of Contents
1............The Basics. The Top 4 Things To Get Started 2............Facebook Pages and Groups 3............Tips and Strategies For Marketing Your Business On Facebook 4............What Not To Do On Facebook 5............Questions and Answers You Need To Know
INTRO
With over 800 millions users, Facebook is now the biggest social network the world has ever seen. Due to the engagement of this huge number of members, entrepreneurs can make a profit out of it. Social Media is about integrating with our culture. The Facebook platform is enormous and because of that, people can target-market easily! You have a captive audience if you learn a few of the marketing tricks! Smart marketers are tapping into this. There is always more to learn, but this is good information that will bring you up to date and give you a competitive edge for your small or large business on Facebook. Let's face it: we all have something to sell and we want all of our Facebook friends to buy whatever we're selling. The trick is to let everyone know it's for sale without annoying them enough to hit that magic “remove� button. Here are some tips and pointers about marketing yourself on Facebook the right way. That said, without further ado...
THE TOP FOUR THINGS TO GET STARTED
Build- Create a business page for your company. Use clean, clear photos as your cover photo and profile photo. Include your website, business phone, email, LinkedIn and Twitter account links if you have them. And please double check for spelling, punctuation and grammar errors. Mistakes happen, but do your best.
Connect- This consists of getting people to “Like” your page and keep coming back. This is the foundation of all your marketing endeavors in social media. You can achieve this on and off of Facebook, by promoting your page wherever you have access to your customers. Using Facebook’s targeted ads can be another solution. You can set your advertising budget amount and target your ads to specific groups of people. How convenient is that?
Engage- This is the tricky part that requires time, creativity and a deep understanding of user behavior on Facebook. It consists of getting your connections to engage with your content, so that it is distributed to their own friends. Brands should not talk about themselves only; they should talk about their customers and their experiences. Marketers should create stories (as opposed to blatant ads) designed to start a conversation and generate engagement. Get in people’s heads. There is a psychology to all of this. It is about connecting on a human level and offering people something that will make their lives easier/make them happier/skinnier/ richer, etc. To get people to interact with your posts, it is also essential to understand why people communicate on Facebook. Most people converse online in order to: 1. Make their life easier (by asking for information, which is deeply entrenched in our social nature). 2. Build relationships (very easy actions are often sufficient, such as liking a post) To craft their identity and to help others. 3. To talk about feelings or opinions, personal experiences, and what’s around them. Successful brands integrate these aspects to get their customers to
engage with their content!
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Influence- The objective here is to influence people to like your brand or service and buy it. If you want your user base to influence a broader set of their friends, you should provide them with high-quality content, usually videos, good photos and article links that can be appreciated by most users. This will considerably increase the “shares” of your friends who will view and engage with your content.
Social Media + People + Businesses = Connections
FACEBOOK PAGES AND GROUPS
Facebook has many groups for all sorts of things. From Gardening to Cooking to Insect Collecting! Join the ones that pertain to what you do! All it requires is a little time on your part. Click “Home” at the top of your page. Now look to the left of the screen, toward the bottom, you will see Pages, Groups, Apps, etc. Click Groups A blank box will pop up at the top of the screen that says “search”. Type in what you are looking for. For example, if we were selling health supplements, we may type in key works like: Fit Florida (the state you live in) Women Fit Moms Group Women’s Health Healthy Men and Women Eating Healthy Do you get where we are going with this? These are all possible key words. Use a keyword that relates to your company. Cooking, Designing, Writing, there are groups out there for almost everything. Join a dozen or so! Some groups are closed groups and that’s ok. Either request to join or move on to another one. Many of them are looking for more connections! If they accept you, engage with them, do not post only when you want to put up an ad. You may get kicked out. Say hello and comment on other’s posts. Contribute and build up trust. Occasional business mentions are fine, but do so sparingly or you will be known as a spammer. Comment on other people’s posts to increase your visibility. Note: The amount of people in each group will also pop up, try to choose groups with 100 or more people; better exposure for your business! Some will have over 5,000! That’s huge exposure for you in a mili-second!
WHEN YOU FIND A NEW BUSINESS PAGE YOU LIKE: Click on their group page and join it or “Like” their business page. Now you will get their news feed. Write a quick hello on their wall. Now here’s where you should mind your manners...
NOT SMART: Buy my products, 20% discount if you hurry now! Buy one get one! My website is www.Obnoxious.com Want to be really obnoxious? TYPE IN ALL CAPS! NOW THAT DESERVES A SLAP ON THE WRIST!
SMART: Hello, nice meeting you. I own a beauty care company and I’m looking forward to connecting with everyone here! Plain and simple. Leave it at that for now. Again, contribute, build up trust. Occasional mentions are fine. Comment on other people’s pages to increase your visibility. Do something for others vs asking for favors, likes, votes, etc. Give people the same respect you want them to give you.
TIPS AND STRATEGIES FOR MARKETING YOUR BUSINESS ON FACEBOOK
People like and appreciate your new “Like”. Out of curiosity, they’ll probably click on your page as well! You can build great relationships. It just takes time. Run contests. Facebook also has some special apps that give your page bells and whistles. Facebook offers and check-in deals are also perks that many companies can use in their Facebook marketing strategy that are only available through “Pages”. If you have a marketing budget, these can be helpful. Allow users to add comments, it will significantly increase the number of clicks on the Like button. Just don’t allow them to post spam and sales ads, nobody likes that. Never spam someone else’s wall. If you need to do so, always ASK before you do. Ask questions of users on your Fan pages, such as “Would you like …?” and “Would you prefer … ?” Engage people, even if nobody answers initially. Post fun and interactive content such as games, trivia questions and polls. Talk about discounts or gifts you are offering on your wall, and fun upcoming events. Post time-sensitive content and relate to current events. Note: Avoid extremist views including political or religious ones on a company page. That’s a quick way to alienate potential clients or customers. Reserve personal rants for your personal page. Post videos of either you, or content from YouTube that relates to what you do. Include links to additional content, like articles that relate to what you do. Also, posts that include good photos or graphics grab attention better that just a few typed words. Reserve that for Twitter. Facebook is not Twitter. Learn the difference. Posting Twitter style on Facebook doesn’t quite work. @JenSmith blue note yesterday What is that? A waste of time is what. Stick to tweets on Twitter where they’ll make more sense. Post links to your website accompanied with good info. It will drive traffic to your website. Need likes quickly? Get plenty of new Likes by using a Liking Ladder, such as “Sprinkle Me with Fans”. These are real likes for your page. It is the concept of “you scratch my back and I will scratch yours”. You post your page link in a thread on a Liking Ladder page: @The Vitamin House (your page name) hit “enter” People will click on it, go on your page, and Like it. Then you do the same for them. It is a nice way to be introduced to new businesses. Just be sure to reciprocate.
WHAT NOT TO DO ON FACEBOOK (or, how to annoy people like a pro!)
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Please don’t shout your marketing message from the rooftops. No one likes advertising, and no one likes see-through imperatives to buy, buy, buy. This is very common with Direct Sales. Connect with your audience and take interest in what they're doing, then frame your messages as interesting updates on your own progress in the common struggles of life that we're all facing these days. Instead of blasting your friends' News Feeds with "order, reserve, and buy now" messages, try simply reporting on your good news, your exciting developments, and your sense of accomplishment. Don't forget to wish your friends well in their pursuits of similar goals. Listen, commiserate, and congratulate, and others will do the same for you... and they'll remember you when they come across something that might help you out.
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Don’t be an annoying self-marketer who doesn't listen to your audience or try to understand their likes, interests, or needs. And really, who wants to be that person? Position yourself as a helpful resource. Don't be just another billboard along the side of the Information Superhighway.
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Social media is all about reciprocity. Answer your messages, why don't you? If someone takes the time out to comment on something you've said, the least you can do is drop a line to acknowledge their interest and thank them for stopping by. You don't always have to snap back with a witty response or a thought-provoking addendum. We don't all have something intelligent to say all the time. Just be polite. Be friendly. Appreciate the people who appreciate you.
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Don’t have too many Facebook or Social Media Pages: It’s better to have a couple and maintain them really well, than a dozen and pay little attention to them. Better to invest more time in a couple specific areas than spreading yourself too thin.
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And finally, the Golden Rule: if you're not sure you should do it, don't. If you feel like something you're about to post on Facebook might be construed as self-serving self-marketing-if you think something you're about to do or say might annoy everyone-it probably will. When in doubt, don't do it.
Questions and Answers You Need To Know
What’s the best time to post on Facebook? Statistically, they say there are good times to post on Facebook, when more people are on. How do you know when your page gets the most attention? We ultimately found that people tend to be on in ‘off-work’ and break times, namely: •
Over the lunch hour
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Around 5-6pm as people are switching out of work mode
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Before bedtime around 8:00 pm to midnight
So what the heck are hashtags anyway?
Facebook hashtags are finally here. And boy, do they work wonderfully. Just like Twitter, you can now place the pound sign in front of a word and voila! You are inserted into a global stream of conversation of whatever topic you choose. Now you can see conversations by keyword and engage with new brands or people, simply by clicking the hashtag, which links automatically to the stream. If you’re looking to get perspective on a certain topic, or to hear what customers are saying, this would be the place to go on Facebook. The world presented on a silver platter, no?
Does using images prove to be more effective than just words on Facebook pages? To put it simply: yes, graphics matter. Images and photos on Facebook are critical to attracting people’s attention in this saturated market. Using multimedia messages present a more effective marketing channel than simply text. When I do a post, what does “Promote” or “Boost” mean? Those are simply paid options for small businesses to buy promo ad space. We have heard good and bad things about these. The choice is up to you.
Are contests a good idea? What should I give away? Yes. Give away in-kind products and services. If you sell chocolates, then you give out chocolates. If you make candles, then candles or a spa gift basket. Have people’s odds of winning contingent upon inviting others! Ask people to comment on your post and say that you will choose a winner from among the entries on a certain date. Always do what you say you are going to do and mail the prize that was promised.
If I want to build a custom application, is it a good idea? According to expert Dennis Wu, unless you’re a gaming company or have an engineering staff, it’s probably a waste of time and money. If they mention QR codes, the answer is “no thanks”. These are easy ways to blow $20,000 for virtually no traffic.
How do I stay safe on Facebook? How do I protect personal information? First off, let’s use a little common sense shall we? Refrain form posting personal phone numbers, personal addresses and photos with personal info in them if you don’t want them seen. This may seem like a given, but you’d be surprised by how many people still do this. Of course this is more for personal pages. For business pages, make sure you have a password that can’t be easily hacked and change it every six months. Watch what you ”Like” on Facebook. Likes are saved for target marketing- do you really think “Getting Drunk” is a good page to Like? On your page, look up “General Security Tips” and Facebook will have a list of them for you to read over. Watch visitors' activity on your page. Include links on your pages to report spam, scams, and other inappropriate activity if need be. Try to assign at least two administrators (admins) for your business account. The admins should monitor and promptly respond to new Facebook policy changes and features, always considering the impact on the business. Use an Internet firewall with web threat protection, such as Cisco ProtectLink Web, to authenticate admin access by IP address, and to disallow ads with malware! Enable the Facebook security feature that will alert you whenever an admin accesses your account. You’re welcome.
Should I create a Facebook Group for my company? Facebook groups enable you to demonstrate your expertise in a specific area. If you remain an active member of the group community, your opinion will be valued and sought. As you build relationships with others immersed in the same field, you can increase your brand recognition. The key here is to post often and engage with good content. If you simply do not have the time, that is where we come in. You can hire us to do all of that for you. It’s what we do. Our contact info is at the bottom page of this eBook.
Can you give an example of some really good company Facebok pages that we can learn from? Who does it well in your opinion? We though you’d never ask. We think Burt’s Bees is awesome. You can buy their products directly from Facebook from their ecommerce site. “Through Facebook, we can introduce new products interactively,” says Melissa Sowery, the company’s social media and content manager. Since last year, the company page has doubled the amount of fans going from Facebook to its e-commerce site .
Tiny Prints Special features allow users to view merchandise, receive exclusive fan discounts, gain insight from Tiny Prints Inspiration Boards, and shop without leaving the social network—turning Facebook fans into buying customers. How great is that? They are a stationary company that specializes in personalized stationary and greeting cards for special occasions and announcements, has gained nearly 64,000 fans on Facebook. Originally, they used Facebook merely as a way to drive traffic, but lately, Tiny Print's fan page has grown into a tightly-knit community built off remarkable customer service and feedback. Anna
Fieler, marketing vice president of Tiny Prints, says traffic from Facebook increased over 600 percent from 2009 to 2010, and during the holiday season, customers who were also Facebook fans spent significantly more than customers who were not. Red Mango A Frozen Yogurt, Smoothie and Juice Bar. “I personally control the majority of the content that’s on the page," says Daniel Kim, founder and chief concept officer of Red Mango, a popular all-natural fat-free yogurt retailer. Red Mango, created in 2006, joined Facebook in 2008 to better communicate with its customers. Kim says one of the reasons his company’s page is so successful, with about 229,141 fans, is the fact that it’s genuine. "We’re able to really connect one-on-one with customers and give them access to the people who are behind the brand," he says. "It really allows us to give the brand a personality and a voice that’s real and genuine."
All of theses companies have brand recognition and big marketing budgets of course. More so than the “little guy” but you have to start somewhere and it certainly doesn’t hurt to get inspired by ideas from them. Coca Cola and Starbucks are also two more “big guys” that do it right and have popular Facebook Business pages. Here’s some links to view their pages. We encourage you to give them a look: http://www.facebook.com/burtsbees http://www.facebook.com/tinyprints http://www.facebook.com/redmango The bottom line is this: when it comes to marketing your company, don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. Test the waters in a few different areas. From magazine ads to sponsoring events to postcard mailings; what works for some may differ from others. But to not take advantage of the fierce popularity of social media would be a mistake. It is a virtually free platform used by millions that is here to stay and still growing! In conclusion, Facebook offers us an unbelievable reach to a captive audience. Just a few minutes a day will eventually reap rewards. It takes time and patience. In the beginning, it is a slow go as you build up likes, and gain people’s trust. With good customer service, attention to detail and timely posts on your business page, it can be an amazing marketing tool for you! If you studied all of this and decided you just don’t have time for the fuss and hassle, that’s what Elite Social Media is here for! Call or email us and we will do all of this for you at an affordable price! If you chose to do it all yourself, then more power to you! Go after the American Dream! Good luck! We will be cheering you on the whole way and “Liking” your page posts too! Info@TheSocialitesNetwork.com (727) 237-8714