What do you want to do on Facebook?
Do you know what the top 10 most popular posts were about on Facebook last year?
The first 3 were the US Election, Irish Election and Brexit while the remainder rest centered around sporting events and other national events relating to pride in our nation.
This confirms that Facebook really is a ‘social’ network where we discuss and react with topics that are of paramount interest to us. So how do we as business people use such a powerful platform to engage with our customers?
The first step is to decide on our objectives for this social media channel so we can then start to build a plan and strategy around them. So what might your objectives be?
I want to create brand awareness
You have a great product or service but maybe not many people know about it. With over 2.2million users in Ireland of all ages you will be pretty much guaranteed that your potential customer is there so you can let them know who you are and what you do.
I want to build my presence
By putting yourself out there on Facebook you have the potential to go global. Most business will start small and gradually grow as word extends about their product. With Facebook the spread can be rapid and effective.
I want to generate leads
By engaging with people on Facebook you can start to generate leads by finding out who might be likely to become a new customer. You can let them explore your products and get to know you while moving them through the sales journey.
I want to help drive sales
Existing customers might not know about all your products so your Facebook page could be the place where you showcase all that you have. It’s also a gentle way of reminding them that you still exist and asking them to come buy again.
I want some loyal customers
When you give customers an excuse to follow and revisit your Facebook page by engaging with them then you remain on their radar. They are more likely to remember to come back and buy more. In turn, they can be salespeople for you by sharing their love of your product with their Facebook network.
Once you know what it is you want to achieve by using Facebook it will help you formulate a strategy. The right plan will allow you to be social and get great benefits from this fantastic social media channel.