Facebook is at the present the most popular social networking site. Businesses are in a hurry to utilize that platform so as to maximize the profitability of business and maintain and strengthen their relationships with their existing customers and at the same time increase the referrals.
With Facebook recently setting mark of its 1 billion active users, a number that is expected to increase, the small businesses have ample opportunity of connecting with customers in ways that are more cost-effective. The new paradigm also has made it easier for the customers to spread information about the brand that they like by simply liking the page or engaging in online conversation on the Facebook page of the company.
If you want to take advantage of those benefits that Facebook provides to the small businesses, you should ensure that you device and develop an effective strategy of marketing before you enter in to the site to conduct your marketing campaigns. So, the first step is setting up a fan page on Facebook. The second stage is developing an effective Facebook marketing strategy and third one is implementing that strategy.
Identify your goals:
Avoid using Facebook simply because most people are using it or someone else recommends that you do so. To ensure that your investment in money and time pays off in the ultimate, you should begin with clear idea of what needs to be accomplished by implantation of Facebook marketing strategy.
Is it for staying on top and ahead with your customers, increasing word of mouth, up selling of new services and products or services, getting repeat sales or improving customer service? You should identify your goals and then build an effective strategy around it.
Decide on the content of your Facebook strategy:
To great extent, the strategy of your content will depend on the goals that you want to attain. If for instance you want to realize goals such as improving customer service, sharing of content which provides extra support to the customers, requesting for feedback or engaging 1-on-1 with your customers is a very good start.
To realize the best results, you should monitor the content of the results for quite some period of time so that you can see that which is working and that which is not and make the appropriate adjustments as required. Other content includes inspirational quotes, photos, videos and sharing of links which are of value and interest to your community.
Entice customers to like your Facebook fan page:
After identifying goals and putting in place content strategy, you should get more fans to like your Facebook page. Because you will mainly focus on those customers that are already in existence, you should begin bay adding a call in to action on your email signature and also in your web site. If you have storefront you should create a poster or sign in that requests and encourages the customers to like your Facebook fan page.
Get engaged, humanize your brand and use Facebook insights
You should engage the fans, human brand so that you can build better connection with the customers and use the Facebook Stats that are located that Facebook page’s left side. This will enable you evaluate what is working and what’s not so that you can change tactic or take any other quick action of remedying the situation.