Social media platforms such as Facebook can be excellent marketing tools for businesses. For many, however, the value of Facebook and other websites can often seem confusing. Can a small business really get customers from Facebook and how can you do it? The answer is yes and it’s easier than you think if you do the right things.
When it comes to marketing, small businesses, can not afford to ignore Facebook. There are many ways how to use Facebook to promote your business, and with Facebook regularly rolling out updates and tools made especially for small business owners, there’s never been a better time to cultivate your online presence. Regardless of the size of your budget, there are paid and free methods that your business can use to get new customers on Facebook.
Connect with your Audience
Grow your audience organically by creating content people actually find interesting. The idea to consistently post quality content that your followers will want to share, like, and comment on. This is the place where you can cultivate a brand voice and connect with your audience on a more casual, intimate level.
Blog posts, advice columns, free eBooks, and other materials are great ways to add value to your Facebook page. People respond positively to material that they feel is crafted specifically to help them so engage customers with fun questions, polls, and “behind-the-scenes” type posts or promote your business’s blog posts. If you’re not blogging or not blogging enough to promote your blog posts on Facebook, here are 130 blog ideas to help you write more blog posts.
Facebook Giveaway or Contest
Another way to get new customers is to run a Facebook contest or giveaway. Facebook contests are an effective and free way to attract new customers. People love winning free stuff, so putting on a contest or giveaway is sure to encourage people to interact and engage with your business.
Create a Facebook Event
If you’re already hosting an event for your business, consider promoting it by making and sharing a Facebook event. Whether your event is an in-store one, or an online one (a webinar, Q&A, live contest, etc.), you can use Facebook events to draw attention to your brand and attract new clientele.
Localize your event by adding location to Facebook for your event and the Facebook posts that promote the event. Check out this post for more information on how to promote a Facebook event.
Tag People on Facebook
Tagging people is a way to get someone’s attention on Facebook. Tag people on Facebook who you think might be interested in your products or give shout out to loyal customers.
Engage potential customers—If you’re wondering how to attract new customers with Facebook, you’ll be pleased to know that there are plenty of ways you can engage new and old customers alike, and encourage them to buy your product at the same time.
Advertise on Facebook
Given the popularity of Facebook, and the fact that seemingly everyone has one, advertising on Facebook should be a no-brainer. Indeed, Facebook advertising has grown by 680% since 2010, with companies worldwide having spent a whooping $8 billion in Facebook Ads. Yet, few companies invest in Facebook ads, finding them underwhelming, confusing, or not realizing their value.
Does Facebook advertising work? If you’ve been wondering whether Facebook advertising is worth your dime; don’t. Facebook ads are cheap, precise, and make it easy to find new qualified leads. If you doubt that, don’t doubt the numbers—Facebook ads get 22 billion clicks a year!
Use Facebook ads to promote a sale, event, grand opening, or a content download like an eBook or a checklist. Facebook ads are easy to use and have many pros:
- Low cost. Relative to the cost of other advertising methods, the cost of Facebook is chump change. For just a few dollars a day you can reach hundreds of users. Set an affordable cap for your daily Facebook budgets so that you don’t spend more than you want to.
- High precision. Facebook allows you sort out a specific audience for your Facebook ads, letting you target users who you think would be most interested in your service. You can target by location, age, gender, interests (“likes”), behaviors, and connections. If you don’t see positive results the first time through, or even a few times through, don’t get discouraged. It often takes playing around to see traction. You should experiment with different targeting options to see what works best for you.
Check out these examples of Facebook ads for ideas on how to get started.
Use Facebook Offers
Facebook Offers allows businesses to create coupons that can be used online, in-person, or both, and for a small fee, Facebook will push your coupons to Facebook users who don’t already follow your page. A Facebook Offer will pop up on a user’s newsfeed in the same way an advertisement would.
You can also share your Facebook offer on Twitter, through email, or distribute a direct link to it. Using Facebook Offers is relatively simple. You have room for a 90-character description of your offer, plus a thumbnail image. Then you set your budget, the expiration date of your offer, and you’re all set to go. You can also add Terms and Conditions to your offer to include additional details, a digit bar code that can be used for offers that are to be printed out and used in-store, and more. Offer new customers an attractive discount, try a “buy one get one free” deal, or anything else you can think of. People are guaranteed to come flocking!
Need even more tips on how to get customers with Facebook? Check out our Facebook marketing guide for business owners.
