A couple years ago, having a Facebook page devoted to your business would have been enough. Simply existing on the site had the ability to set one business apart from the rest. Times have changed, though.
Boasting over 900 million accounts — both personal and business, Facebook has now gotten to the point where it feels cluttered at times. How can you break through the clutter and make your target audience aware of what you have to offer?
Below are 10 tactics that will help your business achieve success on Facebook.
1. Create a Profile That Works
Make sure your profile is completely filled out. Never leave your profile looking as though it's only half complete. Maintain a level of professionalism while making it clear that you care about your customers and will be there to answer any questions they might have. Your default photo needs to be professional looking. If you don't have an actual photograph to use, your logo can take the place of a photo.
2. Involve Visitors in Discussions
A great way to get visitors to "like" you on Facebook is to involve them in conversations. Start discussions about your business and how it's able to help people. This will keep them coming back to add input and read what others have to say on the matter. For example, if you sell yard care services, start a conversation about landscaping, different types of flowers that will grow in certain areas, and landscaping on a budget. Encourage people to join in the conversation and include them in any way you can.
3. Personalize Your Page
Allowing your page to look exactly like all of the other Facebook pages out there doesn't benefit you in any way. Customize your page so it's more suited to your business and your customers. Use images to make your profile memorable in a way that helps to brand you.
4. Special Events and Contests
An effective way to bring your page to life and insure you'll have repeat visitors is to host special events and contests. Any time one of your visitors RSVP's to an event, their friends will see their RSVP on their Facebook page. This is a terrific way to reach an audience that you might not normally reach.
5. Sales and Offers
Who doesn't like a sale or special offer? By offering sales and offers to your visitors, you'll be piquing their interest. By offering sales, you are showing your customers that you care about their needs by giving them the best deal you can.
6. Multi-Media
When possible, integrate audio and video content on your Facebook page. Doing so can be very affective in grabbing the attention of your visitors as this type of content has been proven to be much more effective than simple text.
7. Personalize Tabs
Do away with the default tabs which are fairly boring and drab. By making the tabs more personalized to your business, your visitors will be more likely to remember you and your efforts. If you don't know how to go about personalizing your tabs, there are tutorials that can be found online that will make personalization much easier.
8. Take Advantage of the Sidebar
The sidebar of your page is the perfect place to put things like customer testimonials and bulletins. Placing links to any special offers you have going on in the sidebar is another way to effectively utilize the space.
9. Put a Survey on Your Page
By placing a survey on your Facebook page, you are telling your customers that their opinions matter. Not only do surveys capture the attention of your visitors, but they also encourage visitors to interact with each other and your business.
10. Update Your Page Regularly
One of the biggest mistakes people make is to let their Facebook page sit without any new content for extended periods of time. Make sure you're regularly posting content to your page. This means posting new content and looking for ways your page can be improved every single day. Social media is one of the best ways to get noticed these days, so make sure you aren't being left behind by failing to update your page regularly.
By implementing these tactics, your Facebook page stands a much better chance of gaining new customers and keeping your current customers happy.
Matthew Toren is an Award Winning Author, Serial Entrepreneur, and Investor. He Co-Founded YoungEntrepreneur.com along with his brother Adam. Matthew is co-author of the newly released book: Small Business, Big Vision: “Lessons on How to Dominate Your Market from Self-Made Entrepreneurs Who Did it Right” and also co-author of Kidpreneurs.
