Don’t Give Up on Facebook

Perhaps personally you’ve begun to find that checking Facebook is akin to checking the fridge. Every time you go there, it’s the same old thing. From a marketing perspective you SHOULDN’T GIVE UP ON FACEBOOK. Here’s why.

 

Return on Investment

 

Facebook cost nothing, very little if you hire an expert to help you manage your account. Therefore sales that directly (or indirectly) result from your building relationships on Facebook – are very profitable.

Viral Potential

I recently had a client that was discouraged by his Facebook business page. Having only 38 likes in his first few months with a page, he was ready to delete the page. Don’t give up too soon! Just like all good things, Facebook takes time and work. This same page with “only” 38 fans was reaching a viral audience! One recent post was seen by 200 Facebook users.

 

Freshen Up your Page

If you’re not getting the engagement you want, or simply want to plump up your numbers, try mixing up your forms of content. Rather than just text, upload pictures or videos. Take a look at your insights. Be sure that you’re communicating with the audience you think you are. Try anapplication. And be sure to let a little personality shine through. Stay consistent with your brand image, but social media should be fun! Have some.

Need help? Call me at 715-584-6773

WHO are you Selling To?

To have a high conversion rate with your marketing efforts you need to get close to your target market. Knowing the demographics that fit your ideal customers will go a long way in aiding that process.

Here’s a crash course on demographics. Demographics include characteristics such as age, race, gender, income, and education level.

Whatever media you decide to try (television, print, radio) the outlet will have a demographic profile of their audience. You need to find the means that mostly closely matches your target.

Finding Demographics

Many companies have demographics in their own database, whether they realize it or not. Point of Sale systems make it easy to capture age, zip code, and more. Simply asking your customers how they heard about you will help you measure your marketing return on investment (ROI).

If you’re looking to get a picture of a geographic area try City-data.com. The insights on your Facebook business page are - well - insightful. Use your website’s Google Analytics to learn how your website was found and by whom. A phone call or visit to your local convention and visitors’ bureau may reap demographic rewards.

Sample of Facebook Demographic Insights

Find customers by demographics and psychographics.

Who are your customers? Share the demographic profile in the comments below.

Social Networking and Every Day Products

How are marketing teams using social media to communicate with the people using common, every day products? Check out these insightful examples.

Facebook

Pepto Bismol noticed a stagnating in sales. Someone eventually noticed social media updates on Saturday and Sunday morning. Those who overindulged mentioned their appreciation for the pink liquid. (P.S. This is why you sometimes need an outside consultant. What may be clear to others is hard to see when you’re too close.) Procter & Gamble, the product’s maker tried a campaign on Facebook called, “Celebrate Life.” They desired to lure customers before weekend partying and saw an 11% market-share gain!

I really like the mattress company, Sealy, and their marketing campaigns on Facebook. If their “in bed” tagging app doesn’t get you, their fun Schwag Shop just might.

Twitter

P&G struggled with how to get people engaged on Twitter. People don’t usually tweet about their deodorant. The campaign by Secret, “Mean Stinks” was an anti-bullying drive that attracted attention and sales to the brand. Addressing issues important to their target market was key. By using celebrity spokespersons, cheeky blogs, and advocacy campaigns, P&G has gotten people talking. The company says it’s increasing spending on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Attracting the Right Audience

Women 25-54 make up most of Procter & Gamble’s buyers. (We do control most of the checkbooks.) Women this age group (especially those with children) spend more time online. Bloomberg Businessweek recently cited that women 25-54 spend 14% more time on social networks than other users. Hmm… pretty obvious how to target moms with checkbooks. 

Which brands do you network with on social media? Please share who and why in the comments below.

30 Marketing Experts to Watch

These marketing experts really hit the mark. Yes, I realize it may not be practical to follow 30 marketing experts, but from this list you should be able to find at least a few that you really like – and that’s what’s important. I’ve divided them by where I follow them, although most can be found on multiple networks.

Blogs

1.      Directory Journal’s Search and Social Media

2.      Fluent Self – motivational

3.      22Michaels.com – marketing articles written by an entrepreneur (shoe store owner)

4.      Adsoftheworld.com – very visual view of new ads

5.      Dailyblogtips.com

6.      Guerrilla Communication Blog

7.      Brian Solis – technology, culture, business

Twitter

8.      Jennifer Mattern – blogger, business writer

9.      Pete Cashmore - @mashable, enough said

10.  Chris Brogan – social media blogger

11.  Julien Smith – coauthor with Chris Brogan of Trust Agents

12.  Liana Evans – social media marketing expert

13.  SocialMedia Revolver – tips for SMM

14.  Direct Marketing News

Facebook

15.  Wildfire Interactive – for SMM

16.  Duct Tape Marketing – for small business

17.  imFORZA – web design and internet marketing

18.  Mirror Communications

19.  Prime Social Marketing

20.  Marketing Savant

21.  TMA E-Marketing

Google +

22.  Jason Falls - Social Media Explorer

23.  Ann Smarty – My Blog Guest

24.  Google + for Business

25.  Rand Fishkin – SEOmoz

Pinterest

26.  Penny Sansevieri – author marketing expert

27.  Isabelle Duarte – follow her marketing infographics

28.  Sara Wingfield – PS Web Design, boards for infographics, brochures, branding, etc.

29.  Lori Randall Stradtman – social media humor, online reputation management

30.  If you made it all the way through this list, congratulations! Reward yourself by following me on Twitter @TerraLFletcher, Facebook.com/FletcherFreelance, LinkedIn and my blog.

New Facebook Pages

If you haven’t heard the announcement from Facebook yet, here’s the news, “Coming Soon: New Facebook Pages On March 30, 2012, all Facebook Pages will get a new design. Preview your page now to see what it looks like and try out the new features.” Learn more by visiting https://www.facebook.com/about/pages/.

What’s Changing?

As some marketing experts had predicted, business pages are taking on a look very similar to Timeline for personal profiles. If you don’t know about Timeline, visit https://www.facebook.com/about/timeline.

Business pages will feature a cover photo, allow you to highlight new posts on the top of the page each week, and show recent activity and private messages (to admins) at the top of the Page. You can star posts by hovering over a story on Timeline and clicking the star. The post will then expand to widescreen. Friend activity will be more prominent. Insights have also been restored after being down for awhile.

To turn on a preview of your new page you can do so at https://www.facebook.com/about/pages/. Pages that have already undergone the change include Zena Caffee, Livestrong, and Hyundai.

Confused? Need help updating your page? Please call or email Fletcher Freelance at 715-584-6773 or terra(at)fletcherfreelance(dot)com.

8 Great Apps for your Facebook Business Page

I’ve been touting the benefits of a Facebook business page for years. But don’t let it stagnate! The purpose of such a page should be to build relationships, to engage users, and to position yourself as an expert in your field. Using these apps will help accomplish those goals.

Tabmaker

If you’ve wondered how to get one of those fancy landing pages, you could hire a web developer or website designer to do it for you, heck – you could hire me. But you could also do it yourself. Tabmaker is a free application that allows you to set up a landing page for first-time visitors or share exclusive content with your fans only. Use your own images, chose colors, and the design you like.

Easy Promos Premium

With Easy Promos you can create your own sweepstakes, photo or video contests, essay contests, pick your favorite, or offer other coupons and promotional codes on your Facebook business page. The premium version costs $100 per campaign. The user-friendly app allows you to manage and customize your promotion from participant requirements to deadlines and more. The Premium version offers options to, “create and manage video contests, customize opt-in checkboxes, create custom wall posts, upload your own banner in the header, and control registration and voting dates. You can also control the frequency of voting according to IP, and limit voting to friends of the entrant.”

Contest Tab

Contest tab is only $30. For that price you can build awareness of your brand with user-generated photo content. The potential to go viral is huge. You can customize with CSS, view real-time analytics, and add share and invite buttons. Additional app options include access to related apps: My Restaurant Tab, Photo Contest Tab, Hotels Tab, Real Estate Tab, and Rent Your Home Tab.

One Way Commerce

If you’ve read the statistics on mobile shopping, you’re aware of the direction commerce is heading. This full e-commerce system allows you to create an instant storefront on your business page. Inventory is tracked, emails sent, and it integrates with QuickBooks and Salesforce.com. The app is FREE and takes only a few minutes to get started. You can create custom banners, upload graphics, and add like buttons to each product. Now there is no excuse to not be selling online!

Join my Mailing List

If you’re on Constant Contact, this app should be a no-brainer. Why not have a tab to grow your list? Enough said. Here's mine. (I made it while in Constant Contact.)

Networked Blogs

Another helpful app. If you’re blogging, have your blog autopost on your business page (also works on a personal profile). All you have to do is register your blog and prove you are the author. Here's mine.

SlideShare

If you use slideshare.net, you need this tool to import your presentations to Facebook. Supports PowerPoint, Keynote, and more! It’s easy to synch the accounts. Just find synch under the application. One disadvantage is you cannot view without going to the app page.

Cueler

If you’re on YouTube autopost videos you upload to your business channel on Facebook. It’s super easy. Just add the Cueler app and tell it what your YouTube username is. Cueler adds a tab and stores your latest videos there as well as posting on your wall (and in fans’ newsfeeds). Body Essentials uses this well.

These are just a few of the apps I like. Also consider a review app. Have one that’s worked for you? Please share in the comments below. If you need help managing your social media presence, just call 715-584-6773.

Why Twitter Won’t Help Your Business

Allow me to repeat, the title of this blog is “Why Twitter Won’t Help Your Business.” I’m sure I could write a blog where the reverse is true, but today I’m telling you why Twitter isn’t my favorite social networking tool (and yes, many of these same cons could apply to other networks).

Overpopularity, Noise, and Content

There’s just too much noise. It’s hard to sort between the useless “I’m just getting out of the shower” and “I’m having an omelet for breakfast” and actual useful morsels. Because so many twitterers tweet from their phones the site is becoming even more bogged down. No one cares about the mundane details of your daily life! (Or maybe that’s just me. I guess if you like reality TV and wouldn’t mind having no pictures and reading it instead of hearing it…)

Much of Twitter is a numbers game. It’s all a competition to see who can get the most followers. In my world, it is quality that counts, not quantity. Everyone knows that the closer you get to your target market, the higher your conversion rate will be. Why waste your time broadcasting to the world when you could be having smaller conversations at a deeper level? I think this social network is anti-social. People forget to be where they are physically; they’re too busy living life virtually.

Popularity is a double edged sword. When something is really popular, it isn’t cool anymore. Twitterers have a tendency to assume that everyone reads their tweets. This can result in a faulty, inflated sense of self. (I have tens of thousands of followers. I had a conversation with a celebrity.) People also forget that it is quite possible that everybody did read their tweets. So, you thought you were having a conversation with a couple of close friends? Nope, I read about it, too.

Character Limit

As a copywriter, it’s hard for me to say this, but some things just can’t be said in 140 characters or less. And as a writer I have a hard time even texting. I just don’t like to see words spelled wrong!

Time Waste

Let’s not even discuss the time waste factor. If you thought Facebook was bad…

But hey if you’re interested in trying to fit in your own shameless self-promotion on Twitter, that’s fine with me. Just ease into it, get to know the pace and rhythm. Learn the rules, written and otherwise. And if you have success, I’d be happy to hear how you did in the comments below.