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Greetings!
The biggest frustration many potential clients share with me is a lack of response to their social media pages. Especially with new businesses, there's often an expectation that creating a Facebook business page will encourage thousands of customers to miraculously become fascinated by your company.
While your potential customers spend a great deal of time on Facebook and other social sites, oftentimes they are socializing. As a business on Facebook, you need to interact and be social before trying to sell yourself.
Just like in kindergarten, that means quietly observing for a while, before jumping in with both feet. The social process can take time. Make friends first: play nice, give a compliment, share your cookies at lunch, before inviting a friend over for a play date. Here are some tips on how to play nice in Facebook. |
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First, make connections. If you have a personal Facebook page that you use to communicate with friends, you can leverage those relationships to get "likes" on your business page. Message your friends, share a sentence or two about your business, include the link to your Facebook business page, and ask them to "like" your business. Often, though, Facebook friends are not promoters of or potential clients for your business. You need to work a little harder to get "likes" (or fans) who are relevant and meaningful for your business. |
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Observe, listen and learn.  If you have a list of target clients or influencers, search for them on Facebook and "like" their business page, if they have one. Once you've become a fan of a business page, generally (but not always, depending on their settings) you will have the ability to post on their wall and to "like" or comment on their posts. More significantly, some of their posts will appear in the news feed on your business page. Despite all these opportunities, we're going to quietly observe from the sidelines for a while. Read the posts of your target clients, get a sense of their priorities and their active supporters. Add a comment or "like" a post, but remember it's still all about them. |
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Promote others. Now, on to the news feed. This view contains your posts from your business Facebook page and from the pages you have "liked". Look over the posts from others and find relevant content that you can share with those who have "liked" your page. By clicking on the "share" link beneath a post, you'll be spreading their message beyond that business' network to your own. Include your own comment, but hold back on blatant self promotion. Add value, check your spelling, and be light and social. We're still at the stage of sharing cookies at lunch. |
Take the next step. 
Once you've been "paying it forward" for a while by advancing others, you can start promoting your own business as well. There are several different ways to do so within Facebook. You can:
* Create on new post on your wall
* Add a new post on the wall of a
business you've "liked"
* Comment on existing posts on
the wall of a business you're a fan of
* Comment on a post within your own news feed
* Share a post from your news feed along with your comments
If you are commenting on an existing post, always include content that is relevant to the post or the business. Don't use a canned message, and vary the verbiage so that it's timely and social. Consider including a photo or link that is relevant (such as a workshop you're offering, a discount or special offer, or a link to an event relating to the post or the business). And if anyone comments on your posts, always promptly acknowledge the comment with your own, even if it's just a "thank you."
Don't forget your fans who have "liked" your page. These potential customers have taken the first step toward creating a relationship with your business. Review their profiles; if they have a public profile, you can see some of their personal information. Cater your posts and your offers to their needs and interests. If the fan is a business, be sure you've become a fan of their page, and look for ways to be social and engage ... or to share your cookies at lunch. |
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Follow the process above with new fans to your page and new pages you "like". Vary your posts so a newcomer to your page sees a mix of useful information, promotion of others, offers and values, and visually interesting images. By being social, sharing engaging content, and promoting others, you will attract more fans and activity on your Facebook page, and perhaps even get invited for a play date.
Regards,
Nancy Wolff Leary
President, Online Amplify
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For more frequent tips and insights from
Online Amplify, "like" us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
 
To learn more about Nancy, find her on
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Services Offered
* Website optimization
* Content development
* Social media support
* Blogs and email newsletters Workshops & Events Online Amplify offers individual training and group workshops to improve your online visibility: Individual Training In person or virtually Workshop October 4, 2011 - Waltham, MA Workshop November 3, 2011 - Reading, MA At Your Location Training or workshops tailored to your needs |
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