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It’s 2020. Digital marketing is a must. Social selling is alive and thriving, and content is king.
If you’re a business owner, then chances are you have already been capitalizing on the benefits of digital marketing to some degree. If you are still wary or uncertain about the reality of generating business through social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, let me be the first to tell you: It’s real.
The amount of new business that you can gain completely organically through Facebook — the platform we’ll be focusing on in this article — is immeasurable. All you need is hard work and a little bit of know-how.
Here are some techniques and tips that can help generate inbound business directly through Facebook:
1. Understand who your clients are.
If you aren’t fully aware of who your clients are, then you won’t really understand who you are marketing to. And if you don’t know who you are marketing to, then you won’t know what kind of content to create.
Every post, picture, comment, video or message should be a thoughtful, calculated decision. You are building your brand, growing your organization and gaining new business. Those are your three goals on Facebook. Being an automotive-based marketing company, my clients are generally owners and managers of car dealerships. Therefore, my marketing is tailored to this type of audience.
2. Create content worth creating.
As stated in my previous article, content must be interesting and exciting for your target demographic. If you own a clothing company targeted toward athletic wear, chances are, you’re going to make content that is vastly different from that of a maternity wear clothing company. And the content from both of those companies is going to differ vastly from a luxury clothing brand. It’s all about the people that you are targeting.
The demographic targeted gives you a bit of insight into the type of content you should be creating. Who are your most common customers? Who generally buys your products? Focus on that niche group of people when you are marketing. Use the slang, styling and concepts that are common amongst your demographic of customers. It’s okay if not everyone gets it; you’re not reaching out to everyone.
3. Be consistent.
How do we reach those who haven’t even seen our posts? I’d recommend posting more often. Two or three posts a day every day will lead to far more interactions than one post every other day.
Getting your content in front of potential clients is the biggest step. You can make the best, most exciting video ever, but if no one sees it then it won’t matter. Consistency is key. Post on a regular basis. Stay relevant. Stay at the forefront of their minds. When they need a service or product that you provide, they will remember you.
4. Don’t be afraid of being ‘weird.’
You don’t always have to be the most upright, professional, boring company. Again, it depends on your demographic. Some of the most interaction I get on Facebook is by asking random, fun questions. In a Facebook group I run for game changers, for instance, we will occasionally make a post encouraging those in the group to show off their shoes. Dozens of people will then post their sneakers, dress shoes, loafers, heels or whatever they’re wearing at the time. Weird? Absolutely. Does it generate interaction? Absolutely! Be weird. Be odd. Be “out there.” Be unique.
5. Don’t chase perfection.
If you are sitting, waiting, planning and strategizing for the “best” social media marketing campaign, let me save you some time: It will never feel perfect. Everything is subject to scrutiny and everything can be improved, always. The first step is starting, and the best time to start is right now. Don’t wait. Don’t overthink it. It’s okay for it not to be perfect. Give yourself time to stick to the process and don’t switch your sowing before the fruit has been harvested. It takes time.
These are just five tips, but the real key is to get up and get after it! You will never know what works with your own demographic until you have enough people to formulate a case study. Get out there and get marketing. Post that new status. Upload that picture. Go on Facebook Live and give your prospects a glimpse into what your company represents. And then, adjust accordingly.
You’ll never know until you start.
