How can I get customers on Facebook?
Are you looking for ways to improve your Facebook marketing strategy and get customers on Facebook?
Of course you are.
Because you know that the people who become your Facebook fans today will become your paying customers tomorrow.
Maybe this strikes a chord…
When you first started your business, one of the first things you did was create a Facebook business page, right?
And then maybe you posted a couple images and links (your new desk space, your office cat, a favorite coffee shop to meet clients, links to some interesting articles…).
And then…meh.
Minimal leads, lackluster engagement, few-to-no new clients.
Which takes the wind out of your sails, and makes you wonder why you put effort into this thing in the first place, right?
If you find yourself continually mystified by Facebook for business, you’re not alone.
Most businesses launch a Facebook page as their first marketing experiment — and then find quickly they’ve hit a wall.
They become frustrated because their following isn’t growing. Or they’re not getting comments on their posts. Or the marketing video that they spent sooooooo much time on isn’t getting views and likes.
I get it, it’s frustrating.
So let’s switch gears. Let’s talk about using Facebook as a tool for client generation (as opposed to headache generation), and focusing on the metrics, methods and people that really matter.
Before we dive in, these are the first few key takeaways I want you to remember about using Facebook for business:
- Your Facebook page should work for YOU, and not the other way around.
- You don’t have to post every day to be successful. Or even every other day.
- Likes, followers and comments aren’t your end-all-be-all — focus instead on how Facebook can help you reach your bigger, brighter, better business goals.
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Promoting Your Business Correctly to Get Customers on Facebook
1. Know Your (Bigger) Goals on Facebook
Before anything, you absolutely must outline your goals for your Facebook Business page. This is non-negotiable.
And I’m not talking about 500 new followers by the end of the year. Or averaging 20 comments per post. Or getting more 100 likes and hearts.
I’m talking about how you want to leverage Facebook to help your business grow.
Here are some examples of goals for your Facebook page:
- Driving traffic to my website
- Increasing attendance at events
- Promoting my new product/service
- Connecting with potential business partners
- Building a community around my brand
- Offering customer service where my clients are asking for it
Pick your top 3-5, and develop your game plan with your specific goals in mind. Don’t drive behind the social media wheel blind.
No mindless posting, no grainy photos of your new office chair.
The purpose of Facebook should be to drive leads and traffic to you, and help grow your business. Not to consume your valuable time, energy, brainpower, etc.
2. Partner with Other Facebook Business Pages
Extend your professional network by engaging with other businesses.
The benefit here is two-fold.
First, you’ll be getting your name out there in association with other businesses you trust, value and admire.
Second, you can help each other by increasing engagement and therefore prompting Facebook to show your posts to a broader audience.
Seek out partners that complement your brand or services (and ideally whose following already includes your target audience), and work together to co-promote, co-host and co-grow. Some partnership examples:
- Graphic designer > web developers, printers, copywriters
- Nutrition coach > gyms, personal chefs, restaurants, food co-ops
- Interior designer > home decor stores, paint shops, florists, architechs
Work together to champion each other’s benchmarks, news, input and articles. You can approach them through FB Messenger about an official partnership, or simply start engaging with them online.
Social media good karma is real…give others your likes, your shares and your comments, and you’ll receive them in return.
I promise.
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3. Get Up Close and Personal with Your Target Market on Facebook
Even if you’ve got the great offer, the great graphics, and everything’s looking awesome, your post or ad is probably going to tank if you’re not targeting it to the right people.
Ask yourself — and answer — these questions about who is in your niche market:
What do they value? Results, quick responses, transparency, etc.?
What are their needs?
What are their pain points?
What problems of theirs are you able to solve?
Only once you have a super firm grasp on who your target audience is, can you effectively communicate with them online. This goes for using language in posts that they’ll understand and respond to, and also targeting specific audiences with ads and boosted posts.
Need a jumpstart on defining your ideal customers? (You know, the ones who value your guidance, trust your expertise, and happily pay you on time for your services?) Start here first: Define Your Ideal Customers and Rapidly Increase Your Income.
4. Create and Join Facebook Groups
Facebook Groups are a great venue for like-minded individuals to share, banter, exchange views and toss around ideas about a specific topic.
They’re also a great place to get your content seen.
Why?
Because Facebook notifies group members of new posts and updates much more frequently than Business Page updates.
And an exclusive Facebook Group is also an awesome value-added way of getting your clients together to share information about successes, struggles, new ideas, industry trends, etc.
They probably don’t want to pose a question to their grandma, aunt and sister in-law on their general Facebook feed about the best POS system to use for their latin-infusion food truck. But they sure as heck have a captive and knowledgeable audience within their industry-related Facebook Group.
Create an ultra-specialized Facebook Group and join other groups, too! Start by finding groups your dream clients spend time in already (do a Facebook search) and join them.
Then find where you fit in.
Think about:
- What your Facebook Group can offer that’s missing from other Groups
- Who can you invite to join and contribute
- Your rules for engagement (no offensive language, posts are subject to removal if offensive, etc.)
And for TONS more information about leveraging Facebook Groups, read:
Getting Clients From Facebook Groups: Business Guide to Facebook Marketing
How To Introduce Yourself in Facebook Groups So You Get Noticed and Remembered
How To Build Your Email List with Facebook Marketing
5. Use Posting and Monitoring Software for Facebook
Lastly, please, please, please adopt a posting and monitoring software so Facebook doesn’t consume you. That’s so not the point.
I’ll repeat, from the beginning: your social media should work for you, and not the other way around.
Managing a Facebook Business Page or Facebook Group is not an excuse to scroll mindlessly through your feed and get lost in the black hole abyss.
When you use a scheduling software, you can knock out a month’s worth of posts in two hours (with your goals sitting in front of you), and avoid logging in to post every couple of days.
Consistency is key (in both your quantity and brand voice), so pick a frequency, keep your brand characteristics in mind, and stick with the program.
Map out a posting calendar and mark which days you’ll post, fill in your content that’s going to help you reach your goals, and click the “Schedule” button.
You’ll still need to log in occasionally to engage, interact, answer questions, etc., but your posts should be methodical, pre-planned and intentional.
No last-minute posts just for the sake of posting.
You risk being irrelevant and rushed.
Don’t spend all your time on Facebook – let it do its thing for you. Set up posts that will help you reach your goals, enable your notifications so you can respond to inquiries and potential clients, and then continue doin’ your thing away from your Facebook stream.
A Final Note on Your Facebook Business Page…
If you’re using Facebook to drive traffic to your location or website, make sure your content (or venue) matches your post or ad.
When linking to a page about your services, your messaging, imagery and calls to action should absolutely match the post that brought them there.
Stay consistent with your brand, and ensure your visitors (and potential clients) feel like they’re in the right place when they arrive.
Make it easy for them to say “yes.”
Once you get people to your website, it’s your job to get them signed up and converted.
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