Are you using your Facebook page as your website? Don’t! It screams amateur. Everybody has a website these days, even if it’s only on WordPress. That’s okay! Not just for bloggers anymore, WordPress sites can be made to look like topnotch professional websites through the use of fabulous and highly versatile themes that can be purchased quite reasonably. But there is a place for blogging… enter, Facebook!
SAVE THE BLOGGING FOR FACEBOOK
That being said, do you actually blog on Facebook? If you don’t then start doing it! Imagine visiting a company’s Facebook page and noticing that it hasn’t been updated in months, or years even. Nothing is more of a turnoff than that. Some companies create a Facebook page with minimal information and then forget about it. Why even bother? We’re not exaggerating in here when we say they are losing out on the opportunity of a lifetime.
Post a really good bargain on your Facebook page and encourage your customers to share it with their friends. You’ll get new customers without having to pay for any advertising. And since you’re not paying for the advertising, you can afford to make it a really enticing bargain. Sounds cool right?
DON'T SPAM YOUR CUSTOMERS
If you post too often on Facebook, friends and customers may not go so far as to unfriend you, but they will turn off your posts, which is like unfriending you without you knowing it. Uhh… that’s bad! We all have friends who seem to have nothing better to do than update their status on Facebook, and they’re just plain annoying. When a business does it, we have no compunction with turning them off.
If you post too often on Facebook, friends and customers may not go so far as to unfriend you, but they will turn off your posts, which is like unfriending you without you knowing it. Uhh… that’s bad! We all have friends who seem to have nothing better to do than update their status on Facebook, and they’re just plain annoying. When a business does it, we have no compunction with turning them off.
How frequently should a business post updates to Facebook? Every other day is totally fine to keep your fans engaged. Posts should be interesting and of real value, as well as short and to the point. Some good topics for Facebook updates are significant discount offers, brand new products available, expanded business hours, addition of a new employees, as in a new hairdresser at a salon or masseuse at a spa, or anything else that might be of actual interest to the customers.
SOCIAL MEDIA: A TWO-WAY STREET
The great thing about Facebook and other social media sites is that your customers can give you feedback. Real-time feedback! Be sure to respond to customer comments right away. This shows that you’re active on your site and that you care. And don’t delete the occasional negative comment. Customers hate that; it’s like hanging up on them. Instead, respond as reasonably and politely as you can. Remember, the customer is always right, even when they’re wrong. Other customers will see crabby remarks for what they are and admire your tactfulness and restraint.
The great thing about Facebook and other social media sites is that your customers can give you feedback. Real-time feedback! Be sure to respond to customer comments right away. This shows that you’re active on your site and that you care. And don’t delete the occasional negative comment. Customers hate that; it’s like hanging up on them. Instead, respond as reasonably and politely as you can. Remember, the customer is always right, even when they’re wrong. Other customers will see crabby remarks for what they are and admire your tactfulness and restraint.
DON'T MAKE IT ALL ABOUT YOU
Reminding you again - your Facebook page is not your website, it’s a forum. It’s a place where you can engage your customers in interesting, relevant discussions. Bring in fresh content from other sites, the news, wherever you can find it. Let your customers get to know you, by showing them what you’re interested in. They don’t need your curriculum vitae, although you can put relevant qualifications on your information page, Jus’ Once!
MIND YOUR P's & Q's
We’re not talking about please and thank you here, but punctuation errors and questionable grammar. Rather than typing your blog posts straight into the Facebook page, try composing them in a word processing document, one with some form of spell check. This will allow you to come up with a thoughtful, well composed post and make sure that it’s grammatically correct at the same time. Cut and paste your finished post into your Facebook page. Save a document with all your posts for your own records.
Facebook and other social networking sites are a great tool to develop a successful relationship with your customers, but like any other tool, it needs to be used the right way and for the right purpose!
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