In some ways, companies of all sizes can get a little bit carried away when it comes to measuring the following they have on their Facebook fan page. After all, just as having one of the top few spots on Google for an important search term doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll explode your online business – your landing pages still have to convince visitors to make a purchase – neither does having thousands of fans ensure that your social media marketing is going to be a hit.
But then again, it sure doesn’t hurt.
That’s because, regardless of what you sell, having a strong following on Facebook widens your net of potential customers. In other words, the more men and women you have interacting with you on a daily or weekly basis, the more likely you are to see an improvement in your online or off-line sales.
With that in mind, here are the two very best ways any Seattle company can add fans on Facebook:
Make your profile page a place to get free or discounted stuff. Just about everybody, regardless of how often they use Facebook or what they think of your company, likes to get something for nothing… or at least for a lot less than they’re used to paying. There are any number of ways you can use this preference to add fans on Facebook.
One tried-and-true method is by offering a free gift or online coupon for each person who becomes a fan of your business on Facebook. By giving them a direct incentive to sign up, you can often get lots of people who might have otherwise clicked elsewhere to stop and join your group. In fact, you can even reward them for other people they refer, further growing your network by offering a one-time payoff.
Another discount strategy that has worked well for a lot of businesses is announcing sales, promotions, new products, and discounts through your Facebook page first. That way, people who have become fans of your business are the first to know about potential savings – and get the first crack at products before they run out. For those people who are interested in getting the newest and best from you, or just the best prices, this can be an irresistible benefit.
Provide a steady stream of entertainment. For as long as the Internet has been available to mainstream consumers, it has really excelled in two different areas: offering low prices, and as an unmatched tool for finding innovative entertainment. In other words, people love to go online looking for jokes, pictures, and other things that distract them from their day-to-day duties for a few minutes at a time.
Depending on what you sell, and to whom, you have to be a little bit careful about what sort of entertainment you offer on your Facebook fan page. Certainly, you don’t want to be spreading distasteful jokes or inappropriate photos. But outside those guidelines, there’s nothing wrong with a little levity here and there.
Better yet, however, is trying to spread pictures, stories, or even videos that revolve around your industry. By asking customers for their funniest product stories, or sharing a little bit of “behind-the-scenes” info about your company, you can often create something that not only draws in plenty of quick views, but also ties visitors in a little bit more closely to your brand and gets them coming back for future updates. You can add a little bit of fun to their day and market at the same time – a win-win for everyone.
Could you use some help making your Facebook marketing campaigns a little more effective? Contact Blue Sky today – we’re Seattle’s social media experts, and will be happy to give you a free one-on-one consultation to get started.
