Everyone is buzzing about the Facebook Fraud.
Real or not, paying for FB to “promote” your page is not a smart way to grow your business.
You need FANS not “Likes”. You want people who will engage and share. You want people who want to hear from you. You want people who want to see you succeed. You want people who will be your evangelists, bringing others to see you.
You cannot buy those people on Facebook. You have to earn them one at a time.
How?
Post Relevant Stuff: Tell them interesting information that is important in their lives. If you are a running shoe store, post information about training tips, upcoming events, injury prevention, etc. If you are a baby store, talk about safe sleeping, car seat installation, and potty-training. If you are an electronics store, post about innovations and upgrades and whether or not they are of value.
Post Shareworthy Stuff: Post things that no one else knows. Post things so cute and funny (while also relevant) that your current fans want others to see it. Post things that just beg to be shared. Share things to your page. If you found it Shareworthy, your fans will, too.
Post Engaging Stuff: Ask for opinions (and act on the results). Ask for thoughts and ideas. Naming contests, polls, and guessing games are engaging and fun.
Post Emotional Stuff: Speak to the heart of your customer. What is her desire in relation to your products? Sell toys? Speak to the growth and success of her child. Sell jewelry? Speak to the reaction on her face when she opens the box. Sell mattresses? Speak to the feelings of finally getting a good night’s sleep.
Nostalgia is a strong emotion for businesses that have been around the block a few decades. Post stories and pics about the olden days (if you think FB is only for the younger crowd, post a pic from the 60’s and get ready to be amazed).
Facebook, to truly be effective for your store, is not a numbers game. It is a message game. Win the message and you’ll have all the numbers you want.
-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com
PS The big question is, “How often should I post?” To be most effective you should post at least once a day, but only when you have the right message and something new to say.
Great stuff Phil! I've worked with clients who pay to get more Facebook likes. Sure it works and they get a ton of likes. But after a while those people realize they don't want those messages and they 'unlike' the page and the numbers drop dramatically. Then the client is disappointed. It's so much better when people come like their page because they are truly interested in the engaging messages shared. I'll be sharing this with my networks.