In the last couple of months Facebook has undergone many changes in terms of generating business on Fan pages. Companies have actually started to drop Facebook marketing out of their digital marketing strategies. However, in Pakistan the game has just begun! Companies are investing enormous budgets on Facebook marketing.
Many a times it happens that businesses in Pakistan allocate huge budget to Facebook marketing but the outcome is very low. In spite of posting well-researched content and graphics the engagement level on the page is below average and there is no substantial growth on the page. Facebook marketers employ different tactics to increase engagement but still remain uncertain about the right plan. Are you one of those confused companies who know that Facebook is the best tool to market in today’s digital age but don’t know the exact way of utilizing this mode of marketing ? Well , bid adieu to your confusions and let Opus communication provide you simple plans that will prove to be successful as well as have great longevity ! Now just sit back and take a fresh, close look at your current Facebook strategy and then move on. Often the problem lies in your current Facebook strategy there and has absolutely nothing to do with Facebook Edge Rank algorithm.
1. Figure Out Who Your Target Customer Is
When you don’t really know who actually makes the purchase decision of your product or service, then you actually don’t know who your target market is.
Without understanding your audience, there are slim chances that the content you post will engage with them. If your target customer cannot be profiled, then it’s important for you to do a quick analysis of who has purchased your product and why.
For instance if we working with a furniture company, these are the types of questions we might ask:
- Do you sell your products to commercial or residential customers?
- Residential -> Are most of your buyers men or women?
- Women -> Do you know what influenced their purchase decision?
- If you were to set aside the common interests to the furniture industry, what kinds of things would interest them? Engage them? Build a relationship with them?
Questions that dig into buyer personas and what influences their purchase decision make the foundation of your company’s social media strategy. It tells you who you are about to talk to, what concerns they might have, and what brought them to your company’s page. It gives your company a basic foundation to begin understanding who your potential prospects might be.
Once you have understood the largest segment, then only you can look at smaller segments. Then, it’s your creativity of how to reach them that becomes important, because now you understand who these people are and what motivates them.
In keeping with the furniture company as an example, We might create a Facebook presence around a fake “cleaning cloth” that posts stories of his/her activities at different homes, offices etc..
Targeting women? Maybe it’s a daily diary of how men are lazy and do not help in cleaning and organizing a home. So it’s fun to entertain and trigger laughter while educating them about your product’s best features- Wood lamination that does not stain or is water proof.
(Note: These ideas are our intellectual property. Don’t steal them unless you hire us and have our permission.)
Write this down: “You can’t be successful on Facebook without understanding your customers and prospects.”
Once you have understood who your fans are, start thinking and focus on what might interest and motivate them. It is very important to keep your niche narrow – don’t sell everything to everyone.
Oh yes! Now you have to forget about marketing. Start conversations. Tell stories. This is what engagement is! Your activity log should fit with your audience.
2. Learn to take a NO for an answer!
Other than your current customers, who make up for most Facebook page Fans, learn that the general population doesn’t care about your brand, product or service. They are selfish they care about their own needs and interests.
Most people follow very few brand pages, so giving them a reason to stay around is critical.
You should be thinking what is that thing can you give them that they can’t find anywhere else? Education related to your industry? Entertainment? Emotional?
Get over your egoistic assumptions think what innately interests your customers. Your customers might care because you’ve already proven your value to them by giving them best information on which they wanted to engage – which is why Facebook is a the best customer retention and customer service platform – but prospective fans? They. Just. Don’t. Care.
How are you making them care is your competitive edge over your competition?
3. Call in Auditors to Audit Your Facebook Page
And we are not talking about those suited up guys, number crunchers etc. We are talking about professionals who live for Digital Marketing, yes of course we are boasting about ourselves. We are Pakistan’s largest growing digital agency. We will make you understand the buyer and target audience, by looking at your existing Facebook page. What would appeal to your fans? Why or why not? If you are giving them reasons to engage or not? Whether you are promoting too much and acting in YOUR interests, instead of theirs?
It’s a common thing for us now. Entrepreneurs and marketing professionals that think of social media as a marketing tool often lose sight of what matters to their fans. Remember: It’s not about you and your brand, it’s about being a part of your community and providing value to it.
Now enough of the criticism, take a long breath and an honest look back at your page from an outsider’s perspective. Consider asking your current/prospective customers what they like and what don’t like about your page, take their recommendations into account and RE-VAMP your Page.
4. Set Marketing and Customer Acquisition Objectives, Then Map Them to Your Facebook Strategy
Understanding your audience was essential because it helped you build your community and engage with them. But what good is it off if it doesn’t lead to increase in your revenue, increase website traffic, or help reaching other marketing objectives? When on digital media be clear about what you are trying to accomplish online and offline. Common goals include sales leads, traffic for website, brand reach, and last but not the least SALES.
Time to get back to the furniture company. Say we decided the primary target audience is women homeowners purchasing kitchen furniture. If the marketing objective is to increase website traffic, you have to ask yourself how can your posts trigger click-throughs? If your marketing objective is building your email subscription database, what incentive are you giving them to subscribe?
We call it the 80/20 rule – eighty percent of social media activity should be entertaining, conversational and/or educational, and twenty percent is marketing about the company/product/service. This ultimately works to build the brand, but in a different way. Caution: Do not over-promote.
After all, this is social media, not advertising.
5. Identify Your Brand Attributes, Then Make Posts that Fit Them
Brand attributes are not just amazing HD/high quality graphic standards you want to benchmark – they are the attributes you want your company, product, or service to be known for.
What is that you want to build your reputation around? Is it product quality? Inspiring women? Or Raw Material Quality?
Your daily Posts should connect with these attributes and knit in with your marketing objective. This is what makes you different. Unique. Worthy of interest and develop relation.
So start by identifying your top 4-5 brand attributes, connect them to your marketing activities. Showcase these brand attributes in everything you do: your coverphoto, your Facebook tabs, and every post you make. You can also include product or service attributes. These would be your key differentiators on a product or service you provide, instead of your company.
As you start integrating your attributes with your social media efforts, some will interest your audience more than others, so don’t forget to try new ideas for your Facebook page!
Joining the Lego Blocks
This was just a quick, down, and basic overview of our process, but we recommend you to give it a try before you delete your Facebook page.
Map out these strategies on a paper note pad or something that you can refer to often and then you may be able to identify the major gaps that are killing your success.
If you are in Lahore, you can always drop by for a FREE Cup of Coffee that Haq Nawaz Makes! For directions click here (yeah there)