Let’s face it. Handling the ins and outs of a small business is no joke. By the time you connect with clients, research best practices, dream up the next product or service, and take out the trash, you are too wiped out for spending time on social media.
But make no mistake. Time spent engaging current and future customers on Facebook may be some of the best time spent in today’s online world. But there is no need to have a hit or miss strategy to your social media presence. You can begin doing these six easy things today in order to grow your business using Facebook. The best part about it. It’s a no-cost way to market your business.
Let’s jump in!
Decide whether you need a Facebook PAGE or a Facebook GROUP or both.
Let’s look at the difference. A page is a place where a business can create a public presence on Facebook. This is the place where you can showcase your business specifics, highlighting your brand persona. You would include your services, your physical address, hours, links to your website, etc. Your Facebook page is visible to anyone on the web and can be “Liked” and “Followed” by anyone. You can post photos and videos on your page and get recommendations from your followers. The recent algorithm changes in Facebook have made it a bit harder for your page to be seen on newsfeeds. However, you have the ability to boost a page or create ads for a page in order for you to appear before a targeted audience that you choose.
I believe all businesses should have a Facebook page. It is a simple, easy-to-find place for customers or clients to contact you or find out information about your products or services.
A Facebook group is a bit different. While pages act as a kind of profile for your business, groups become a place of connection for like-minded people. So how does this translate into something beneficial for your business? It depends on your target market. If you sell clothing, you may create a group to showcase what is arriving in your store daily. In a group, your customers can comment, like, and interact with you and with other customers. You can create a group of loyal followers who get “exclusive deals” or notifications of new arrivals before the general public.
If you are a membership site, you can use groups to house your “member’s only” interactions. Groups can be public or private. You can require people wanting to join the group to be approved, so you have more control over what can be posted and can monitor the group’s culture and conversation a bit better. Groups typically have a set of ground rules because anyone in the group is able to post. Depending on notification settings, group members see posts to the group on their newsfeed. There is a higher likelihood that group posts will be seen before page posts. Groups have a cozier feel because of the amount of interaction that can happen among its members.
Many businesses will have both a page and one or more groups. Maybe you can segment your customer base into a more focused interest. You can create groups to begin conversations and increase engagement among your customers. The sense of community created by a Facebook group may keep your customers around for a longer period of time. For more great insights and how-to’s on groups, check out this article.
Teach your Facebook followers how to see your page posts first.
Since Facebook page posts do not always show up on the news feeds of your followers as often as you would like, you can teach your customers to customize their “See First” settings. Here’s the step by step way to train your customers.
- Click on the down arrow at the top of your news feed.
- Select “Manage News Feed Preferences”
- Select “Prioritize Who To See First”
- Click and Star the pages or people who you want to see first
So easy! And your followers will thank you for helping them prioritize their friends’ list as well.
Make sure the content you post has a unified purpose.
The good news is that you get to decide what the purpose should be. A good rule of thumb is that anything you post should do one of four things. (I call it the THIB test.)
- Teach
- Help
- Inspire
- Build Relationships
Remember you want your followers to stop, click, and stay on your page or your group. If your content is all over the place, they may be confused or annoyed and move right past you. This doesn’t mean that each post needs to be long or deeply thoughtful. Some of the most profound posts are simple quotes that provoke thought and conversation. Or maybe the purpose is to bring humor to your customers’ day or to teach them something related to your business. In the end, you have to ask yourself if your posts are worth your clients’ time. I challenge you to look back at your last few posts for your business. Do they pass the THIB test?
Post a mixture of original and curated content.
Sometimes we can get a bit overwhelmed with what we want to say to our followers. We think everything we say has to be profound and original. But there are plenty of things already out there that you did not write or say that will benefit your customer. Of course, you want to establish yourself as the expert to your customers by creating your own original posts, but you can also serve as a kind of gatherer of helpful or inspiring information for your followers. Know what your customers need and want, then go find it. As you learn something new that may be of interest to your group, share it. Your followers will begin to look for your page as a reliable source of information.
Engage people more than you sell products or services.
People want to engage with people, not a storefront. Of course, you want your followers to end up being your customers, but it is important to know who your customers are and to make sure they feel important and heard. If all of your posts are promoting a product, your people will quickly lose interest. Sure, they might look at what you have to sell, but if you develop a relationship with that person, they are more likely to stop on a promotion post at a later time. I’ve heard it said that Facebook is a relationship channel, not a sales channel. Completely true. Even Facebook acknowledges this. According to this article:
The new algorithm prioritizes active interactions like commenting and sharing over likes and click-throughs (passive interactions)—the idea being that actions requiring more effort on the part of the user are of higher quality and thus more meaningful. Rather than passively scrolling through the News Feed and occasionally pausing to “like” a photo or an article, Facebook wants users to be inspired to engage in conversations with each other.
So take the time to communicate with your audience. Treat your Facebook followers as if they were a customer walking into your brick and mortar store. Be helpful, interested, and engaging.
Show up!
The worst thing you could possibly do is set up a Facebook page for your business, then leave it to take care of itself. You would never do that with a storefront. Your page is one more place where your customers can meet up with you. So be there. If your business page receives a message, answer as quickly as possible. This shows your followers that you are open for business. Post helpful information consistently. (Remember the THIB test?) Make sure your pages and groups communicate the most up-to-date information about your business and events.
Facebook is an incredible tool to grow your business. Some business owners are afraid of Facebook because there are many moving parts. But I beg you not to dismiss this easy-to-use tool. Using these six simple DIY tips, you can introduce your business to a whole new world of followers. So what is your strategy? What will you start with today?
Do you need more information or more specialized help in marketing your business? Contact Tessera Virtual Business Solutions for a consulting call. We are happy to help.
About the Author
Paula Holsberry is the founder of Tessera Virtual Business Solutions, specializing in optimizing work processes for remote teams. With experience in both start-ups and larger companies, she helps teams maximize productivity through efficient Asana training and consulting.
