Attract new business and create loyal customers with Facebook

There are hundreds of millions of people using Facebook, and half of them check it every day. Your customers and prospects are on Facebook, so you should be, too. And what’s even better … it’s free!

Let’s take a look at how you can use Facebook to create a loyal customer base that can lead to repeat sales and customer referrals.

The benefits of using Facebook for business

Since most of your customers are probably already using Facebook, it’d be in your best interest to create a business page.

When people like your page, it shows up on their Facebook profile, which gets shared with their friends. This gives your business soft referrals and potentially new customers.

Facebook helps you create a personal relationship with your fans.

Unlike a business website, which is focused on promoting products and services, Facebook helps you create a personal relationship with your fans. People use it to share their thoughts, opinions and experiences. Use Facebook to make meaningful connections and build trust. Building these relationships fosters loyal customers (and you’ll get instant feedback, too).

Helpful tips for using Facebook for business

You don’t use Facebook for business the same way you use the popular social media platform in your personal life. Here are some tips to be more successful:

1. Create a business Facebook page.

First, you need to set up the right type of Facebook page. There are two types of profiles on Facebook: individual (for personal friends) and business. Businesses cannot set up individual profiles.

2. Brand your page.

There are a few customizations you’ll want to make after you set up your page. You’ll need to add a cover photo to your business page, which is the large banner image across the top. This is where pictures of your products and storefront come in handy. Your profile picture displays in the lower-left corner of your cover photo, and is also the image that your customers see on their Facebook news feed. Most businesses use their company logo as their profile picture to help build brand recognition.

Check out this article for handy tips about creating images for social profiles.

3. Engage — don’t hard-sell.

What should you post? Remember, this is about creating a relationship with your fans. Post pictures of you and your staff at work, share funny stories, or ask fans their opinions.

A great way to talk about your business in a social way is to highlight your customers.

Find out how your customers are using your products and services, and share it with your fans. The key is to not hard-sell your fans. However, you should promote events, share special discounts and deals, and keep your customers current on the latest trends in your industry.

Quick solution: For double the engagement, use a tool like GoDaddy Email Marketing to create easy sign-up forms on Facebook.

Increase fan engagement

Need an effective call-to-action? Here are the five top ways Facebook fans like to interact. Post content that asks them to do these things:

• Like something
• Caption something
• Share this
• Yes or No
• Thumbs up

Post on specific days.

Although it does vary by industry, in general Thursdays and Fridays have the highest rate of people interacting with posts. Check out this infographic to see what days you should be sharing.

Be mindful of what time your posts go out.

Ideally, you want to post when you’re fans aren’t working. Aim for lunch hours or after the work day has come to an end.

Keep it simple.

According to BufferApp, “posts of 80–89 words got 2 times as much engagement, topping out at 6.19 average interactions per post.” If you have more to say, opt for a “Continue Reading” link.

Post pictures.

People love pictures. Eighty-seven percent of your fan base will enjoy seeing what you do.

Ask questions.

This one is fairly straightforward — the best way to connect is to start a conversation. Ask questions to get your fans engaged.

An effective social media strategy is one that is active and up-to-date. When you share engaging interesting content with your audience, you establish your brand as a leader and create loyal customers who help attract more business.

Originally published at Garage.