To continue with my social media theme from last week, I wanted to harp a little more on Facebook. Last week I stressed that engagement was critical to the success of any Facebook page no matter the number of fans or likes you acquire.
And once you have the fans and are engaging them, the next step is to sell them something. There are several methods and I will list four of them here. Feel free to print this out, cut out the tips, and tape them on the side of your monitor along with all the other sticky notes.
- Do not talk constantly about yourself
- Do not constantly post your specials
- Do not constantly talk about travel
- Do not whine about customers
What? That makes no sense! How can we be expected to sell travel when we ignore it? It is easy. Your Facebook page is like a retail department store in a mall. People will come in, look around, ask a few questions, buy, or leave. No one is obligated to buy from you—ever.
But, if you come across as that irritating used car salesman, you can guarantee that they never will. Have you ever walked into a department store and asked for the rest room? Might you be inclined to come back to purchase something if the clerk said, “Oh it is down a complicated set of hallways, I am heading on my break; can I show you?” Or would you be more inclined to return if the clerk said, “All of our Jordache jeans are 30% off through this Friday?”
Sometimes people are not in the mood to buy. I have often heard that we (as an industry) sell dreams. Let your Facebook page be the place where people can come and have some fun and when it comes time to buy that dream, you will be top of mind.
Facebook is not a sales tool. Facebook is a marketing tool! Use it to engage your customers and to talk with them. Ask them questions—after all, they are the best ones to help you grow your business. Discuss the mundane. Show then to the rest room. Share a funny (and business appropriate) joke. Sure, you need to let them know what the page is about. Discuss travel. Ask about their travels. Poll them. Question them. Poke them. Prod them. But pepper it with non-travel items too to make it entertaining. And then on occasion when you see a good deal—zing them! But make sure it is a good deal (remember not based on price) and not just something that they will see in the Sunday paper.