When it comes to Facebook marketing, I have heard it all. One person will say Facebook marketing skyrocketed them to the top in no time at all and then not too long after listening to that bold claim someone will tell me “I tried that same thing and it didn’t do anything.” So does Facebook marketing really work? Yes! Facebook is currently one of the “most viewed” websites in the world, which means that just getting seen can mean tons of support as well as successful sales.
The key is having the vision. Or in other words, the way you will brand and market yourself once you get access to this ridiculously large platform. These tips should help you get on the right track:
1. Page vs. profile. Everyone, whether they be professional marketers or just regular people with a business, seem to make the mistake of creating a profile rather than a page. You do NOT want a profile if you are attempting to push a business because pages are specifically designed to get your message out there while profiles are intended to do that on a much smaller scale with different operating methods.
2. Push the fan page. Make sure you put your fan page URL in your email signature. Doing that simple task is extremely effective because every email you send now opens the door for more eyes to find their way to your fan page.
You cannot stop there because your fan page needs to be powerful or diverse in the way it works. The best way to get that accomplished is not only to tell your blog readers to like the fan page, give them some incentive. For example, bribe them and make the thing a competition for the most likes. It does not really matter what you use to incentivize your readers just make sure it is in tune with the niche and their way of life.
Lastly, add a like box to the blog/website. Use the plugin code for the Facebook like box and set the options to include the face pile. Make sure the code is on your site or sidebar of your blog.
3. Cross page promote. If you post on other fan pages using your page’s username, then a clear link to your page is visible. An excellent method for getting some attention very quickly with minimal effort.
4. Consider Facebook ads. Facebook ads are very inexpensive when you consider the optimization of them. For example, you can spend a little bit of money and just target specific people that are almost certainly going to be interested in what you have to offer.
5. Promote the page with Twitter. Place your fan page URL on your Twitter profile background. Keep in mind that only people using the web-based version of Twitter will see your background. Still, it is a perfect decision for the amount of work and time invested.
Next, Tweet about your new page and encourage your followers to go like the page. Once again, you should not just tell them “go like the page.” Give them a reason that is incentivizing.
6. Why become a fan? A major mistake people make all the time is just telling someone to do something without providing the reasoning behind it. If you want to succeed in this area, you have to make sure the pros are fully understood. For example, tell potential fans they will get numerous things such as free videos, free ebooks, discounts, and very important updates. By doing this, you can count on doubling the amount of successful responses you get from the people that would typically be told “go like the page” without the incentives.
7. Add the page URL to YouTube. If you promote your business with videos, then you are definitely on the right track to getting a larger following with as little effort as possible. If that is indeed the case add your fan page URL link to your videos either at the beginning or end of the video.
8. Don’t forget about them. It is very easy to create a fan page and then forget to post regularly, which is why so many people notice their following decrease over time. If you have a fan page with fans, you have to engage them and keep them both entertained and incentivized. Post once or twice a day on the page and include everything from niche-related news to answers you found thanks to some thoughtful questions. Do not be afraid to be funny. Being funny gets you a lot more support than just talking about you and the most minute details concerning the launches you have coming up.
9. Ask every once in awhile. Getting shared on fans walls is an excellent way to get more eyes on you, but you must show some restraint. For example, asking everyone all the time to like your content, so it gets shared on their feed will get old and will annoy your fans.
10. Ask questions. The goal is to get people involved, but that task is certainly easier said than done in today’s environment. Probably the best tactic is to think about provocative questions that are hot and invite major opinionated spiels from even the quietest people you know. Toss a couple of those out every once in awhile, and you will be amazed by how much attention you get. If you get stuck, just fill in the blank. “If you could have any superpower in the world, it would be _____
11. Don’t lose your cool. If you are following along, then you will certainly be tossing out some big questions that invite quite a bit of argumentative men and women. Remember that you do not to ever engage a “troll” or hater in a way that makes you look bad or even gives the other haters fuel to use against them. Sometimes the best way to shut down a real hater is to tell them they are entitled to their opinion, and you respect that. You completely defuse the ticking time bomb and look like a very wise person in the eyes of the fans and even potential fans that were looking to get involved or join the club.
12. No more “I.” Writing a sales letter should be no different than one of your Facebook posts. You have to remember that you are all about including people and creating a type of community where ideas are welcome and gladly accepted on a daily basis. So when you get 500 likes, you need to restrain yourself from saying “I reached 500 likes.” Make it an entirely different post just by changing one word. “We reached 500 likes.”
13. There are never enough photos or videos. It is hard to pull people in with just words no matter how good they are. This is why photos and videos are your best friends when it comes to spicing things up and getting the attention you need. Try to incorporate as many mediums as you can into your Facebook communications.
14. Be thankful. This might sound obvious, and it might sound too easy, but it has to be included. Thanking each person that gave you a like on your page might be so out of the norm in today’s fast-paced environment that you come off as one-of-a-kind. That is when the kind words and feelings start flowing, and before you know it, you are getting likes, comments, and sales all by loyal people who appreciate how you made them feel. (appreciated)
15. Just relax. Some people can get so uptight about business and all the stuff on their plate that their posts seem almost robotic. You want to make your posts anticipatory and fun. You can even toss out a couple of jokes that you find funny.
16. Brand that page. The large image on your timeline needs to be beyond spectacular. It needs to tell people in the time it takes their brain to communicate what is front of them, what you are all about and much more. Spend as much time as you need brainstorming and then ask yourself “is this the message I want to send to my fans?” Finally, when you get a resounding yes that feels like it is going to lead down a road of true success, put it to work.
17. Keep records. When it comes to keeping records or storing data Facebook insights is key. This tool will tell you when people are most engaged with your content. Finally, someone created a tool to make the questions stop. “does this engage my audience? Do people find this funny?, etc… Facebook insights will allow you maximize the most engaging content and use it to your advantage day-after-day all year long.
18. Return, and you will earn. The goal is always to make a customer feel welcome and to make them want to come back to YOU. That is easier said than done, but Facebook check-in is making that so much easier. You can now offer people special incentives when they check your page on a consistent basis. It won’t take long before people begin telling their entire family about the great check-in deals. After that, they find out they love everything you have to offer and become a major advantage to your business.
19. The power of Sponsored stories. If one of your most loyal fans goes out of their way to write a huge chunk of text that very thoughtfully explains why you are the best, then the savvy business person (YOU) are almost obligated to spread the word and get others on your side. The question for many men and women was “how do I do that and not come off as awkward?” You can pay to highlight that story, so people will likely see it and begin coming to see you.
20. Short & sweet is hard to beat. Everything is all about speed and getting things done quickly whether it be cooking a meal or figuring out when your new launch is going to be. Even first impressions on Facebook are better when they come from short chunks of text that are very well constructed than the thousands of words that tell your life story and what inspired you. 80 characters or less is sure to prevent skimming and scanning from those looking at your posts, which will undoubtedly give them enough time to realize you are worth checking out. Finally, remember perhaps the most important thing. Include everyone and invite more involvement at all times.
