Facebook provides a solid platform for staying in touch with existing customers AND finding new ones, which is why it's perfect for you! With Facebook, what you put in is what you get out: Be prepared to invest a couple of hours a week in your Facebook marketing for maximum results. In this lesson, I'll outline some of the best practices for using Facebook to generate sales in your store.
What should you post on Facebook?
I get asked this question often! It's clear to me that people are worried about looking silly when they post on Facebook, or that they might say the wrong thing.
In truth, Facebook is an informal and social space, so it's difficult to go wrong. The best content to post on Facebook is content that entertains your fans or offers them some kind of value, like tips or insider secrets that relate to what you are selling.
You should post updates that relate to what you are selling, too. For example, images of new products you are stocking or your best-selling items are examples of fantastic posts.
Quick case study: Sorbet Sensational Solids Facebook page
Here's an example of a small retailer, Sorbet Sensational Solids, which has a strong following on Facebook. The store sell solid shampoo bars that are not tested on animals and are non-toxic to humans. This post simply showcases one of their products in a "bar of the week" format and offers a discount on it. This kind of post is quick, simple and effective.
You can also post updates that aren't centered around your niche or product line, but are still entertaining or helpful to your audience. That same page by Sorbet Solids posted this update about animal testing, something the business publicly opposes. It resonated with fans as well.
Quick case study: Earthegy's Facebook page
Earthegy is a small online retailer that sells gemstone jewelry via its website. The store has more than 30,000 fans on its Facebook page and high engagement levels.
On average, Earthegy posts one or two status updates per day and mixes up the content of its posts. The majority of posts are centered around the company's jewelry with beautiful images of products, such as this one:
Earthegy also posts updates that may be of interest to fans, but aren't directly related to products. The post below is a good example: This update appeared on International Women's Day and included a famous quote by Audrey Hepburn. The post got more than 400 shares, which is incredibly good!
With a mostly female audience, it is no surprise that this post was so popular.
The Boost Post feature: Is it worth your money?
Facebook has a paid option called Boost Post to give your posts added exposure. This feature is worth using because the truth is, without paying a little money, it can be hard getting exposure on Facebook. Sad but true! The good news is Boost Post allows you to set your own budget and as little as $5 will get you a dramatic increase in exposure. If you have important updates such as sales or promotions, where you want to get a lot of exposure, increase your budget accordingly for more exposure.
To boost your post, simply find the Boost Post button on any post you make (or have made in the past).
Inside the Boost Post window, the More Options drop-down menu allows you to target people by location, demographic, language and more. This really helps you target the right audience, so make sure you check it out.
Follow others in your industry to get ideas
One way to get ideas for what to sell, and what to post, and to keep an eye on others in your industry, is to follow them. Even if they're a lot bigger than you, you will still learn from them. For example, if you sell lingerie, follow Victoria's Secret. If you sell camping gear, follow Coleman and Dicks Sporting Goods. Selling furniture? Follow Ikea.
You can also create Interest Lists to prevent your news feed being clogged by brands or companies you want to follow, while still keeping up with what they are doing.
Vanity metrics vs. real success
In Facebook marketing, it is easy to get carried away with focusing on the wrong metrics to measure your success. For example, it's common for page owners to focus on getting as many likes or fans on their page as possible. Instead, you need to focus on the metrics that really matter: How many people went to your website as a result of your Facebook marketing? How many actually bought something?
Most online store software, including SaleHoo Stores, makes it easy to track this data and measure your Facebook success. SaleHoo Stores integrates with Google Analytics so that you cans see how many people came to your website from a Google search, a referral from Facebook, and more.
In short: Likes, comments and shares are great, but nothing beats a sale!
Action steps:
- If you’re a complete novice with Facebook, check out these basic how-to resources:
- Already got a little experience on Facebook? These resources will help to take you to the next level:
- Follow leaders in your market niche and follow what they are doing. Prepare three or four posts that you can publish during the next week or so.
