# Encouraging customers to become your fan on facebook?



## nypaint (Nov 13, 2009)

Set up my facebook account and was wondering if anyone had any effective techniques for encouraging customers or their friends to become a fan? I would eventually like to use it as a means of promoting special events, etc. Was thinking of maybe offering a coupon or gift certificate to those who became a fan and recommended it to a certain number of friends through the link on the page. Any thoughts?
Although a customer is satisfied with a job, doesn't necessarily mean they will hop on facebook and search your name to become a fan!


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## PressurePros (May 6, 2007)

It has become that having a having a website is mandatory to customers. If you don't have one, you look like a hack. I see the same trend being set for FaceBook. Every major business has Facebook, YouTube and Twitter links. I do not know a single friend, past or present, that I have not been able to contact through that site. I think Facebook is an incredible add-on for company newsletters. It might even be a valid replacement. 

In 2010, I will give every customer the opportunity to become a fan by sending them an email inviting them to join. From there you have an active audience to target market.


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## MAK-Deco (Apr 17, 2007)

PressurePros said:


> It has become that having a having a website is mandatory to customers. If you don't have one, you look like a hack. I see the same trend being set for FaceBook. Every major business has Facebook, YouTube and Twitter links. I do not know a single friend, past or present, that I have not been able to contact through that site. I think Facebook is an incredible add-on for company newsletters. It might even be a valid replacement.
> 
> In 2010, I will give every customer the opportunity to become a fan by sending them an email inviting them to join. From there you have an active audience to target market.



I think the way facebook is going and with some of the add ons you can use it might some day even replace the conventional website and its only a matter f time before they start charging companies..


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## y.painting (Jul 19, 2009)

We don't do any active promotion right now, but that's because our page isn't really developed -not much content/rss/photos/etc. Customers who visit our website just usually sign up themselves. But, like Ken, I am going to start sending a link in our email-newsletters/etc encouraging customers to sign up once I get around to developing some content that would actually keep people coming to your fanpage. 

Remember, every time you update your fanpage wall, this info feeds to all of the page's fans. Personally, I have found some stuff I get from pages I'm a fan of, a bit annoying/useless/cluttering. So, it's important to actually have stuff that your past/future customers are interested in (eg - giveaways, referral incentives, etc), otherwise you'll just be cluttering up their feeds.

As far as FB replacing websites, I am not sure about that. The platform, while customizable, just doesn't give you any juice in terms of SEO/Non-networking "discoverability." But maybe FB is working on that, who knows...it sure does seem to taking off at astronomical rates...........a bit tooooo reminiscent of the dot com bust, if you ask me. But that's ok, I have no $ invested with any of them


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

You can offer a giftcard (Starbucks or something small) to any customer who will go online and do a review on Google or post on FB. 
Make sure you have your page link in all your electronic signatures. 
I have posted blogs and articles on my FB and then tweeted a link. I looked for local tweeters to follow, they usually follow back.
Try and get other business pages to favorite your page, when someone is on their site, they will see your biz page.


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

Got me curious about other ways too!

http://mashable.com/2009/01/22/business-facebook-apps/


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## nEighter (Nov 14, 2008)

is it REALLY worth it?


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## PressurePros (May 6, 2007)

nEighter said:


> is it REALLY worth it?


You mean having a customer say "yes, please stay in constant contact with me and send me offers that will entice to me either buy from you again or recommend you to my friends" ? Facebook is not like MySpace with a bunch of anorexic 15 year old girls with music and glitter adorning a personal page. The demographic is older with people that make more money. 

The last stats I saw which may be out of date where that there are 350 million FB users with 800,000 joining every day. 30% of those users and 38% of the new signups are 35-59. 30% are college graduates. That's my demographic down to the wire. Social networking is where its at in 2010.


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## MAK-Deco (Apr 17, 2007)

PressurePros said:


> You mean having a customer say "yes, please stay in constant contact with me and send me offers that will entice to me either buy from you again or recommend you to my friends" ? Facebook is not like MySpace with a bunch of anorexic 15 year old girls with music and glitter adorning a personal page. The demographic is older with people that make more money.
> 
> The last stats I saw which may be out of date where that there are 350 million FB users with 800,000 joining every day. 30% of those users and 38% of the new signups are 35-59. 30% are college graduates. That's my demographic down to the wire. Social networking is where its at in 2010.


Ken have you tried facebook ads yet? similar to adwords on google? 

If I run an add to my demographic in the western burbs of Chicago it is showing that I would reach 900,000 fb users in that area with the categories i choose to reach.


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## PressurePros (May 6, 2007)

MAK-Deco said:


> Ken have you tried facebook ads yet? similar to adwords on google?
> 
> If I run an add to my demographic in the western burbs of Chicago it is showing that I would reach 900,000 fb users in that area with the categories i choose to reach.


I haven't but it is on my list for next season. It has an upside and downside. 

*The Good:*
• If you offer a service many people use, it allows you to reach a much broader audience than people that are actually searching for your keyword.
• They let you use pictures to capture attention

*The Not So Good:*
• You have to be careful with your budget because of non-qualified click throughs. If you put a crazy picture that attracts attention, it can also attract the curious that have no intention of buying. That's more dangerous for me because it can drive customer acquisition percentages too high. For you guys with higher average job revenue, you have more wiggle room. By the same token, you probably have more competition and you may pay more for clicks. 

Its definitely worth trying out though. I've figured out another free way to get a broader audience. Not sharing that one just yet though.


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## y.painting (Jul 19, 2009)

As an experiment, I just ran a few facebook ads in the past 24 hours. 22 clicks, ~13 bucks. Results are attached. The CTR is not very good at only .025%, but this could be due to my ad copy. I have not done any A vs B testing. Any suggestions for the ads I've got?

On adwords, it usually takes 10-15 clicks to get one phone call...don't have any calls from FB yet...but the experiment is only 24 hrs old, so will have to wait.


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## PressurePros (May 6, 2007)

The ads in themselves aren't terrible. Try adding one in where you give something away like a FREE report. (make sure you get a semi conversion by making the person input their email address)

6 Ways A Painter
Can Rip You Off

(graphic for free report)

Educate Yourself.


Keep in mind your CTR is going to be low and your conversion rate is going to be lower yet. Your experiment will highlight the value of targeted marketing. Also you have to take into account the time of year. That's an expensive per click. Does the bid process work the same as on adwords?


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

I suspended my account, seemed like i was spending way too much without seeing any results, check your website stats see if anyone is getting to your site via FB. I read a lot of complaints about the PPCs. Did you set up your area/ages?


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## y.painting (Jul 19, 2009)

Yeah, the traffic is there and I set up a 25 mile radius targeting certain age/sex/etc. We'll see what happens after a few days. Will let ya'll know.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

I am real torn about advert on FB. Or even doing a "business" account (or whatever it's called)

Maybe paperhanging has too small a market to have exposure on FB be worth while. I just can't see how it will improve my marketing. 

When people search for a paperhanger, they do not search for Bill Archibald. They search for any number of key words in the area they are in. I do not see how FB can help - except to enhance SEO to my regular site. Also, does FB allow for graphically pleasing presentations, like a web site?

I don't understand

But I'm willing to listen to the arguments.


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

Bill, check out this site Wallpaper.

It is not as much about about people searching for you, although it is possible. It is part of branding your company. You can show your work, share information, interact with others. It is like all your fans/friends are handing out your business card. You once said something about creating a subconcious impression in Susie HOs head, this is another impression.


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## y.painting (Jul 19, 2009)

Arch, having a FB biz page is not about people finding you by searching for your name. The idea behind a FB business page is that it would allow you to interact with past and future customers; create a dialogue, so to speak that has "viral potential"...

eg friends of people who are fans of your page would see their friend just posted something on your fan page, so they visit your page out of curiosity and make a comment about that, then a friend of the friend of the friend....etc sees the comment, visits, on so on....see the attached pic for an example. 

Pizza Hut post something "enticing," people comment on it, friends of those who made the comments see these comments in their "news stream" and visit the pizza hut page....then...


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

OK, I do understand the "name recognition" thing. (since I posted about it, obviously i understand it)

Now, not to be argumentative (MOI ????) I'm just not convinced it's something that would apply to a service with a limited market in a limited area.

Sure, Pizza Hut, McDoDo, Blowe's, RotoRooter, CollegePro, and other national chains/franchises need to get their name out to a national, nay INTERNATIONAL, audience such as FB, Twitter, etc. But I do not need national name recognition. It may even be detrimental to my market. My market is not the mass market, it is a small high end section of MASS. 

y., I understand what you say about interaction with potential customers. I have to digest that for awhile. I have a feeling opening up a "dialogue" with the populace can be a double edged sword. Look how we all often misinterpret what another PT member says. And we all supposedly speak the same language. Hell, I got friends who would make a wise ass statement in good fun that would not be interpreted well by Mrs Snootbottom who never met me. 

I am trying not to be an anti-technology Luddite, but I do like to examine all possible scenarios. One can control the message of a web site better than what transpires on FB. There are snipers that enjoy taking pot shots, and what better place to do so than FB or the like.


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## y.painting (Jul 19, 2009)

I see your point; this type of dialogue could be both a good and a bad thing. I can't really comment either way though, since I am not using FB right now to any extent that I've described above. Time will show, though.


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## joselucas (Nov 8, 2009)

It is just basically creating excellent online content related to your niche. If you create content that is a magnet, followers will keep poping up. That is one way, have blogs, and videos even on youtube. I mean if you create a strong network plus your excellent job, that's a brand that is going to stay longer in this modern world. But well that's how I see the future, however that does not mean old stuff techniques does not work anymore. You need to get involved with your customers in a modern way and that is what FB does.


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