Convincing people to stay on your Facebook account doesn’t guarantee they will automatically become customers. The whole idea of using Facebook for small businesses is to earn money. Here are some general tips on how to convert followers into customers.
1. Link Posts to Your Website
Don’t call me Captain Obvious! Many beginner entrepreneurs expect Facebook users to find such links in the profile’s About section on their own. But the truth is nobody’s going to bother.
Therefore, placing such links under posts and even comments is a must. People may enjoy your Facebook posts and even take interest in the products you promote. But without a link that can lead them to the store, they will never convert into actual customers.
2. Offer Exclusive Coupons
Think about this. There are hundreds (or even thousands) of people following your Facebook account and you want them to purchase goods from your store. Then how about rewarding them for being a part of the community?
Try offering exclusive, followers-only coupons. This act will make subscribers feel special. Besides, most people will at least visit your website and browse the catalog when offered a discount.
There’s also another reason to offer coupons instead of simply announcing a discount on some of the products. By offering a discount, you ask site visitors to buy something at a certain price even if it’s cut. But a coupon is a free offer, a gift. Followers get it for free and it would be a waste not to use it.
3. Repost content from your blog
If your website has a blog, it’s a good idea to repost some articles on your Facebook page. It’s another type of content that can help you engage with the audience. However, pure reposting will hardly convert any followers into customers.
To do that, repost just a certain part of an article that will spark interest and then offer subscribers to read the whole article on your blog. It may not result in actual sales, but this trick will drive a certain percentage of your social media followers to the website. And who knows, maybe they’ll browse it for a while, look the catalog through and find something interesting.
4. Encourage User-Generated Content
Even if you’re able to create the most amusing and exciting promotional posts in the world, it’ll always feel like an ad. And it’ll always lose even to the ugliest posts generated by your followers.
Buyers trust other buyers much more than brands or experts. That’s why you need to encourage user-generated content whenever possible.
Use hashtags to find the required content posted by your followers. Ask for permission to repost and always thank such users with a discount, or a coupon, or a few moments of glory. For example, many Facebook users would be glad to share their experience with your product in an interview of a sort. You can also make contests or simply repost customer reviews.
Read: How To Build A Brand On Instagram The Expert Way
5. Announce Discounts
Offering discounts always brings results, so you shouldn’t ignore this method of attracting customers. Social networks are a great place to announce discounts and sales promotions, especially when such offers are limited.
