Content is King, but engagement is Queen and she rules the house
A disclaimer. I don’t like Facebook.
There are more accurate words to describe how I feel about Facebook – but let’s say it’s not my “thing”.
However… There’s a great chance your clients (and potential clients) are using Facebook.
So, if you don’t have the same aversion I have towards Facebook – then Facebook can be a powerful tool to grow your business.
Just don’t use Facebook for the sake of using it. Think strategically about the end results you want to get from Facebook and then dedicate your time and effort to achieve those..
Here are 10 ideas how you can use Facebook to grow your business (I used them successfully in the past… they work):
1. Become the Go-To Place for Great Content
You have tons of information and inspiration to share with your clients and prospects. All you need to do is share your information in posts that deliver value. Valuable content means: relevant and immediately usable.
2. Start the Conversation
What’s important to your clients and prospects? What they’re struggling with? What they’re goals and aspirations? Start the conversation and find out. Engagement will make them more likely to buy from you AND it helps build loyalty to you and your business.
3. Focus on Engaging Your Audience
One of the best ways you can use Facebook is to engage with your community is by answering questions and solving problems. Encourage and incentivize people to engage by posting a comment (best) or sharing your post (ok)… Never ask for a “like” as “likes” get you the opposite of real engagement.
4. Create a Facebook Group
Some ways to use Facebook groups are: private clients groups (ongoing support to paying clients), live show groups (“hosting” the conversation before, during and after going live), challenge groups (“hosting” the challenge and all the interaction during it)…
5. Humanize Your Business
Present your company as more than just a business. Take and share photos behind the scenes, during breaks, company retreats, team building events, happy hours, and events… to show a more personal picture of your business.
6. Motivate Them to Take Action
Want people to follow you on Facebook or buy your product or service? Give them a good reason to take action. Competitions, offers, discounts and Facebook-only incentives can help you reach a bigger audience, grow your list and gain new clients.
7. Make Your Clients Part of Your Story
Happy clients are your ultimate business asset. By encouraging your clients to share their feedback on your products and services, not only do you deepen engagement and build trust, you’ll also have the opportunity to reach a bigger audience.
8. Launch a Contest
It’s challenging to drive organic traffic on Facebook, but regularly running giveaways and contests help. Before you create a contest or giveaway, make sure you offer something your audience value, and find ways to incentivize them to share about the action.
9. Go Live!
With a good internet connection, your phone and a click of a button you can provide a sneak peak of your business, event, team… Demonstrate your product/service. Hold a Q&A session. Do a product launch. Promote an event. Give a live training/how to sessions. Interview experts… The possibilities are endless.
10. Use Insights to Understand What Works
Available to every Facebook Page is a whole treasure of valuable information, in the form of Insights. Here you can find out who’s looking at your Page, when and how. You can also see which types of content they mostly engage with, so that you can figure out what’s working best.
Now It’s YOUR Turn
For five minutes… come up with as many ideas as you can… how can YOU use Facebook to grow your business?
Let's Brainstorm
Please share your ideas (all of them or just one) in the comment box below… and let’s get WOWing.
Live fully, stay awesome,
Nisandeh Neta
Top Commenters – last 30 Days
Let's Brainstorm
Please share your ideas (all of them or just one) in the comment box below… and let’s get WOWing.
Live fully, stay awesome,
Nisandeh Neta
94 comments
It needs time an effort. Facebook messaging ads are great for some sectors. Don't waste your money with placements that are not working. Focus on placements on Facebook and Instagram that are working. Also set up conversion ads, anything else is awareness.
Get a good number of followers to be able to achieve anything - around 1000 is a good starting point. Keep testing is also very important.
160 comments
I started a group, and put a lot of "engaging" content in, but then actually there was hardly any discussion. But now steady but slowly, people start conversations themselves... So I just needed time 🙂 Plus what helped was a welcome message in the group.
Planning on doing challenges on Facebook (immune, mental health etc)
477 comments
Research the profiles of the people who like you or contribute to your contributions. This is also what Facebook does. Gain insight into the interests of Facebook users.
Learn from the contributions that get a lot of likes and attention. What can you use of this?
I'm not a Facebook fan either and I don't have much to offer this round.
112 comments
I use Facebook and have a business page. Some time ago I was more consistent posting on Facebook then I am now.
Most is already said.
I also use Facebook to become member of a group on a specific topic to find out what they are struggling with, like dyslexia.
And people like to buy from people, so, on your personal page they can get to know you.
276 comments
Your personal facebook has the great ability you can start a conversation with almost anyone. This is really useful for getting direct feedback. I have used it to invite people to information evenings or to get their opinions on something I was working on.
You can have a store on facebook.
There is group called gastblogger aangeboden/gezocht. For my previous business we used it to get into contact with mum bloggers who could write a review on our games.
It's a potential place to run a community. This whole idea generating challenge could be done on facebook as well. The main benefit is that people are way more used to like and comment on facebook than they are on just someone's website. The downside is that facebook controls all the information.
Facebook advertising gives you numbers for all kind of things. I don't know how precise it is, but you can look up all the male barbers with young children. for instance.
175 comments
You're right, Nisandeh. As an entrepreneur you do have tons of inspiration and valuable information to share. I tend to forget that and as a result I'm selling myself short.
1. Building a steady audience on social media is a matter of months - Keep yourself motivated and don't blame yourself too easily
2. Use Fb as a portfolio - Especially when you're an artist or a product designer, Fb can be a great way to show your portfolio. People are always looking for inspiration and love scrolling down your work. I get comments on posts I did more than a year ago (on Insta). Another benefit: everybody has a smartphone, so your portfolio is accessible to anyone, anywhere.
3. Use DMs to contact followers/commenters privately - It's low profile and you don't have to switch to email.
4. Use Fb to build a strong identity
576 comments
Oh boy. Resistance here 😂 I do think that for B2B Facebook is not as interesting as LinkedIn. Not because my audience isn’t there but because they don’t want to spend time there for business. But I know it’s my idea because I only spend there personal time. I messed up a while ago to use my personal account for business and it didn’t make both my potential clients and my personal contacts happy.
I did have good results with Facebook ads a long time ago, lately I don’t anymore.
One tip: create a specific account for business and don’t do it with your private one. Its definitely good to have a page where people can go to and ask you questions! They might use it. For b2b nobody ever used it with me but b2c they used it a lot.
My recommendation would anyway be to only use it if you have a powerful strategy and can do it regularly.
Simply find out what works for you. Right now, Facebook is off the table for me.
69 comments
I really don't use Facebook, nor planning to.
I stick to LinkedIn for what it's worth.
Thinking of making a start with Insta. Not my top prio