Increasing your customer base isn’t always easy. Whether you want to bring more people to your storefront or grow your online store, check out these lead generation tips and ideas.
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Let’s start with the basics. Setting up a Facebook business page is an easy way for potential customers to view your products without going to your website, just look at these examples:
- BabyandMeGifts.com uses a Facebook page to showcase new products for babies and mothers. The brand attributes 50 percent of its online sales are a direct result of its Facebook page. (Source: Mashable)
- Livescribe.com uses the Storefront Social app to allow users to interact with its page and reach more customers.
- Miishka runs its entire business exclusively from a Facebook page. Using ads as a way to draw in customers, it had 1,000 unique buyers in the first six months and 100 percent of its revenue from Facebook. (Source: Facebook Business)
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3 Facebook Marketing Essentials:
- Customize your page: Facebook pages can be generic-looking so install apps that enable customers to shop, enter contests or play interactive games. Make your Facebook business page entertaining, fun and visually appealing.
- Keep it fresh: Just like blogging, you content has to be fresh. Create several posts at a time when you have extra minutes and schedule them when you have busier periods.
- Make it Visual: Be sure to use visual storytelling in your status updates; a post that includes an image or video gets 120-128% more engagement (source).
6 Ways to Sell Your Products on Facebook
1. Advertising on Facebook
In 2013, Facebook ads were clicked on 29 percent more than in the prior year and the return to investors 58% higher (source). Facebook ads are getting more effective in terms of reach and more cost-effective too, so invest in your growth whilst ensuring your spend is delivering a solid ROI.
Every time you see a sponsored ad you probably wonder if they actually generate leads. Many companies say yes. One reason Facebook ads work better than ads found on other websites is that Facebook does a great job of making ad content look just like regular posts. This concept isn’t new of course; Google has been blending organic and sponsored content for years.
Pro Tip: Use Facebook’s custom audiences tool to target your Facebook Sponsored Ads.
2. Use the Hashtag
To draw inspiration, look at what other successful pages are doing. For example, LifeLock urges fans to use the hashtag #LifeLockForGood. When fans post photos of themselves (i.e. User-Generated Content), it brings attention to the page and builds the brand in positive ways. Fans who want to see other examples, simply click on the hashtag.
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You can do anything with your hashtag. Invite fans to share snaps of themselves wearing your designs in their daily adventures, or during fun events, or in an “outfit of the day” shot showing how they style your piece. As long as they include your hashtag, it builds exposure.
Pro Tip: Invite fans to share snaps of themselves wearing your designs in their daily adventures.
3. Engage Your Community
Almost every article about effective Facebook marketing talks about engaging your client base. To see how it’s done, check out Bare Escentuals’ Facebook page. Under pictures of products — which often get tagged by fans who want them — the company asks questions such as “What’s your Sunday routine?” Fans answer, they share the post on their pages, and countless others join in the conversation.
Other engagement strategies embraced by this health and beauty powerhouse include how-to videos and helpful advice on makeup application. Make these ideas your own with fan polls, videos on accessorizing and helpful tips.
4. Link It
The main purpose of a Facebook page is to draw fans to your main page. All of your social media accounts including your blog, YouTube account and Facebook page work to push readers, clients and shoppers to your website. Elicit interest in your website or blog with a snappy Facebook status update with a link to your website.
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Take full of advantage of linking opportunities on Facebook. Add hyperlinks to posts and photo captions, but also add links or calls to action to your profile picture and cover photo. This way, users can easily find the product, article or page on your website.
Pro tip: Add links or calls to action to your Facebook profile picture and cover photo.
5. Jump on a Meme
From Shakespeare’s historical satires to Weird Al’s “Eat It,” parodies and satires have always garnered attention. Take advantage of people’s affection for mimicry and jump on a meme. Re-shoot a popular Facebook bumper sticker with a model in one of your dresses or have some models lip sync to your favorite song — as it goes viral, your page gets some of the spotlight.
6. Open Shop
Facebook gives business users the ability to open stores on their Facebook page using apps like Storefront Social or Ecwid’s. Instead of directing potential customers to another site, you can allow them to shop on your Facebook page just as Miishka and Burt’s Bees have done.
