Thank you to Suzanne Vara from (http://www.kherize5.com) for this guest post. Take it away, Suzanne!
Suzanne Vara from Kherize5 (Photo credit Salvo Vaccarella)
Facebook, the social networking phenomenon that has left us all a bit melancholy as we reminisce with old friends from elementary, high school and even college about the good ‘ole days of yesteryear.
We openly share information about our present lives with our spouses, divorces, children as well as all that interests us. We are freely and willingly to expose ourselves to brands about our satisfaction and dissatisfaction with them as well as our expectations of them. As a brand, this is interaction is invited, welcomed and a means of communication, engagement and persuasion.
All brands from the largest to the smallest one man shop are beginning embrace and wrap their arms around Facebook, understanding their target audience and how they speak amongst themselves and how they accept to be communicated with. This understanding and knowledge is the first step in persuasion, which ultimately is the goal of any marketing strategy … to persuade people to do what you are asking of them. This could be to answer a question about a price point, to buy, to provide information and insight about a new product launch or to take part in a cause. The Facebook page has purpose other than a head count of how many fans they can tout to one up the competition.
7 Ways to Create a Persuasive Facebook Page
- Mini Website. Facebook pages are interactive and while a website is the ideal hub, the Facebook platform can be used as a “gathering” or “meeting” place and serve as the driver to the website. Creating a mini website via FBML (Facebook Markup Language) brands can customize tabs so that new visitors land on a specific page, return visitors on another page, promote a new product/service, an event, a sale, clearance items, etc.
- Content. Content, content, content! Content is king as they say when you have determined “what” to say and match this with the way that the target talks and is able to understand. The content needs to recognize the purchasing process of the target and provide the necessary information to lead the consumer to persuade them to do what is being asked. The content also needs to identify with the level of commitment that is involved for the target to do what is asked. The target will relate to this content as it eliminates any perceived indifference or even negative and brings them to committing emotionally.
- Credibility. Creating a Facebook page that is easily identifiable to your brand not only removes any doubt within the eyes of the consumer (due to the fake pages) it also provides a sense of credibility. The association between the brand they have been exposed to and the brand that they see before them does not singularly create credibility but it elicits and emotional response. When people are unsure, they shy away. In feeling unsure if they do advance to listen to your message, there will still be a level of doubt and their commitment is weakened.
- Emotional Connections. Listening to the target audience to learn how they relate to one another about your brand and also to the brand itself is the first step in being able to connect emotionally with them. People buy from people but also from people they like. If they are exposed to your brand in a manner that is acceptable to them and in a way that they speak, they are more apt to be like and be responsive. The greater emotional contact/connection to the brand, the greater the chances they will be persuaded to commit to your asking. After all do we listen to/pay attention to the message of a brand we do not like?
- Offsite Promotion. Promoting your Facebook page off Facebook and on platforms where customers need you to be (so long as this is in alignment with your strategy and is advantageous to you) to invite them over to the Facebook page. The opportunity on other platforms to engage with the target beyond your offerings as well as immediately hitting them with your message builds trust by increasing like-ability by not only referencing your brand.
- Membership. Creating a membership style page where those that have liked are privy to sales that are exclusive them as “members.” They are receiving a benefit from liking and linking to your page while you as the brand are gathering information about them. The target is now connecting on a more committed level as they are part of something that others are not and they are real benefits from linking.
- Engagement and Involvement. Being responsive and engaging the target who communicates with your brand not only is a good business practice, it also attempts to eliminate any negativity where they can lower their commitment to your brand. Remember the purpose of the page is to get them to do something and talking to them increases this. Asking questions and involving them in decisions is a part of this exclusivity and membership as their opinion matters.
As a brand creating a Facebook page that is enticing and persuasive but yet friendly to users builds not only credibility but leads them to committing to do what you ask of them. As a marketing strategy, Facebook continues to be a platform whereby brands can create a place for users to gather and meet for interaction and engagement.
Suzanne is the founder of Kherize5 (http://www.kherize5.com), an advertising and social media marketing agency for small businesses. She blogs daily over at Kherize5 providing innovative ideas on how to market your small business in today’s economy. She was featured earlier today in Chris Brogan’s “You Need A Suzanne Vara.”
Suzanne, thank you for the great guest post. I’m very intrigued by FBML and the Facebook developer page advises straight away: “We do not recommend FBML for new developers.”
How do you advise folks without this background to proceed?
Joe
Yeah that is a bit of a problem. The problem is, is that FBML is code and unless you are pretty well versed in code, there will be problems creating the page. My advice is to investigate how the pages are created and see if you skills match. If not, then seek additional resources to lend a hand. There are many that are willing to help.
I felt this article is right on for most anyone looking to begin building their presence on the web. I know from painful firsthand experience if you go it alone without any help or at least input from those came before you start up can be a disaster.
So kudos for a straight forward and to the point lesson about Facebook and business building. I know it can also be used for strictly social reason too.
All the best and I’ll definitely be following you for more good stuff.
Ed
Suzanne, use this platform and share some names of FBML resources you trust and endorse, with their Twitter handles, if you have them.
Thanks.
A membership style page is an intriguing idea. Would you be seeking to get additional information on visitors beyond the Liked status?
That’s a good question, Ron. Suzanne, what did you have in mind? A simple form up front and drip irrigation for additional info at a later point?
Superbly written, obviously expert opinion. Thanks for a well thought post. Most informative.
Although Big, not Small, business is my area of expertise I enjoy following Suzanne and compliment her great post here. I would like to very much emphasise her point 7. I understand it like this: make sure YOU NEED a facebook or any social media presence before setting one up. The worst thing is to be sitting there wondering what the hell you should be posting today or even worse letting your content go stale which impacts credibility massively. The essence of social media is updating – stuff happens that people really want and/or need to be informed about and to stay up to date with. If that doesn’t describe your business needs then social media, even a facebook page, can do more damage than good.
Oliver, really good point. Reminds me of a conversation I had with Rod Brooks (@NW_Mktg_Guy) about a presentation he gave about social media.
His competitors were in the audience.
There was little risk to him giving up trade secrets because either you’re passionate about social media (and will execute with excellence) or you’re not.
Ron
You would seek information that is beneficial to the business. For example if they “joined” they would have to complete a small form that asked for just enough information (ie demographics). Once they are a member, you would converse with them in such a way that sought more information that made sense to your product/service. For example if you were a retail clothing store you could talk to them about instore and online shopping.Yes you may have the stats on how much they buy online however why do them buy online or do not buy online. Is it selection? If they are mainly online buyers would a members only incentive bring them into the store? There has to be an incentive for them to be a member that is not intrusive.
People like to feel that they are part of an exclusive club. If they feel that they are valued and you seek input from them as a member, they will not only continue to be loyal, they will be eager to share their thoughts.
Hope this helps. Please feel free to reach out further on twitter @suzannevara should you have some more questions.
Oliver
Thank you so much for your kind words. Yes you have hit it right there as people get so excited in this new media that they try it and then it fizzles, leaving the audience scratching their heads. In developing SM plan, it has to be that each day and yes, each day, the status has to be updated, the questions answered, questions asked across all platforms. If not, you are right, then the presence does more bad than good. A perfect example of this is Target. Their FB page is a mess. The community has taken over and there is no word from them at all. Their admin sometimes seems to be asleep as there are posts on the wall that I am certain is not the brand image that they want out there or be associated with. Complete disaster.
The notion that social media is easy, cheap and a drop in when you can is as we know false. It is a marketing strategy that needs constant attention. I compare it this way for those that are still unsure – if you do not run an ad (tv, radio, print) locally for let’s say 6 months to a year, will you continue to be top of mind or will the guy that is running be? That usually starts to get the wheels moving and they get a better understanding of being engaging and involved.
Great comment as I believe we have interacted and engaged.
Thanks for the feedback, Suzanne. I haven’t been successful on Twitter finding an FBML expert.
Do you have a few names as references? Share them here. Thanks.
@Suzanne – To expand on @Joe’s request, would you happen to know of a tutorial available? TIA either way.
Joe
I tend to shy away from the “expert” however there is a young man out of Denmark named Mikkel Juhl that I would recommend here. He is @mikkeljuhl on twitter. I like him a lot and have talked with him quite a few times.
Hope this helps as you are correct there are not many that are jumping out as someone to refer.
I found this guy on Google. Haven’t reached out yet but he looks promising. http://facebookfanpage.cmasbd.com/portfolio.html
I found a extremely inexpensive template program that works great for creating custom pages in Facebook. It saves me a ton of time and my clients love the finished product. You can check it out here: http://beknownllc.com/fanpageengine.html.
Wishing you all the best!!
Mark