Monday, 16 April 2012 10:57
In the last issue of Facebook for Business we talked about how to create a page for your business on Facebook. In this issue we are going to talk about how Facebook can help you attract new customers.
As we have discussed before, it’s important to establish online presence through social media management sites particularly Facebook even if your company already has an official website.
But why, you may ask? Simple Because Facebook is more accessible and to most, more user friendly than any official website will ever be. It gives a sense of friendliness to companies that would seem too corporate for prospects to check out or a sense of credibility to starting companies who have no website to speak of.
Aside from this, a Facebook page allows companies to be more interactive with present and potential customers, getting their feedback for everything from service to contest mechanics. While you can also get negative feedback from some customers, this should not keep you from using a business page from Facebook. This is because you can easily moderate it as you want.
For instance, if you have a mind to; you can retain the best feedback and just hide the rest. This way, most potential customers will be able to read the positive testimonials of previous customers. Such feedback adds a touch of authenticity to the company, and will most likely entice the potential customer reading it.
Also, a lot of customers who are tired of traditional Internet marketing strategies like email newsletters will most likely visit Facebook to get answers to their questions. Having a Facebook page will give your business access to over 500 Million users without even having to buy e-mail addresses like what traditional e-mail marketing resort to.
Interaction isn’t limited to Facebook updates and wall posts though. One can also use the Photos and Notes page. If you are using a Fan page which is recommended for businesses (rather than a personal profile page), you can modify the posting ability of your Facebook fans which allow them to post links, videos, and photos.
This way, potential customers will be able to see how other customers use the product or service. Again, this can engage the community to be more interactive as was successfully executed by Pampers? Facebook Fanpage. There are also some companies like the well-known Ben and Jerry’s that go as far as using customer polling. If used the right way, this will provide customers a sense of power concerning the products, which as a result will give them a sense of acceptance and possession.
Facebook is also a great tool to add audience to company promos, special prices and discounts as in the case of the company rushIMPRINT, who uses their page to feature their products for sale. The page easily leads the customers back to the official business site as well as their contact number. Some even use Facebook to give exclusive deals to their customers.
If you’re implementing Facebook marketing, this is a very good way to determine whether your page is effective or not in attracting customers. You can use give-aways to your Facebook users who can’t be reached through other sites like your business website, email, and Twitter.
Other companies such as Baskin Robbins develop and use a Facebook application to make their Facebook page more interactive and enticing to customers. Through their account, they’re giving out a very enticing deal, a Buy One, get one promo that most enthusiasts will not surpass.
The key to an effective Facebook page is to use it with a sense of fun and a good level of interaction. You should also differentiate your company from the rest of the market. If used this way, you’ll quickly get a nice return for your simple work.
Make sure you look for your next issue soon. We will discuss more details about creating a Fan Page for your business using Facebook.
There are certainly a lot of ways to make use of Facebook for Business. Do you want to learn more, see here for additional Facebook marketing tips and tricks.