Bring Your A-Game to Your Business Facebook Post

Does it seem like everyone is outscoring you online? You talk to your other colleagues or friends who are business owners and they seem to be having a ton of success with Facebook, while you can only get a “Like” on a good day–nevermind a comment! If you’re a local small business struggling to get the reaction and conversion you want from Facebook in your local community, maybe you need to take a look at what you’re posting and how you’re doing it.

Give your posts more

I’ve seen too many small businesses treat Facebook like it’s just an item in their list that they have to cross off every morning: Well, I posted today’s specials to my Facebook page, so that’s done…now on to the real work! If this is the attitude you take to your online marketing, then it’s no wonder you’re not seeing the conversions you’d like to see from social media. Your Facebook posts–if they’re going to make you money or grow your influence–need more from you. More thought, more content and more time. Here’s what I see a lot on the communities I’m a part of:

• A single sentence announcing their specials for the day.
• A photo of their menu taken with a flash so bright I can’t read a single item.
• A notice that they’re closed today…and no explanation whatsoever.
• An invitation to call them about a product or an event, but no incentive to call.

Do you see the problem? All of these are quick posts that are simply trying to keep their page updated, but not providing any real value to the consumer. They are boring and ineffective, so even the small amount of time you’re spending on these is being wasted. By just tweaking a few things and adding some additional value, you can learn to create posts that convert your visitors to customers! Here’s how:

Use photography in new and creative ways.

Instead of telling me about your specials, or posting a photo of the menu, show me what they are and tell me why I need to eat there, today! Put the plate under natural lighting, or at the table of a customer is even better! Then snap a photo and post “Lisa is really enjoying our Reuben Sandwich, which is our deal of the day for only $7.99! Come get it while you can!” Photography has been proven to raise the click-through rate of Social Media Posts, whether it’s a product or a text-based item. Experiment with it in a few new ways to see what draws a crowd!

Keep it online when you can.

When I see post that says “We’ve got this great special/event/product going on, call us at (555) 555-5555 to get the details!” I cannot help but think of the huge opportunity you just missed right there. You’re literally forcing your customer to take that extra step to close the deal, which actually lowers your chances of succeeding. Here’s what you should be saying:

[Photo Of Product]

We have an overabundance of these widgets we purchased for the holidays and we need to unload them fast, so we’re slashing the price down to just $5.99 from $15.99! Get yours while we still have them–click here to buy yours now!

And that “click here” link goes a special page on your website that will either sell them the item directly, or connect you through an email form to get the transaction started. You’ve removed the friction of the purchase almost entirely, and I guarantee you’ll see better results.

Up Next: Promote it better.

Did you know that when you post has a bearing on whether or not people will see it? Or that there are tools out there that can handle a lot of the leg work for you? Be looking for the follow up post for this next week on promoting your Facebook Posts in a way that drives traffic and gets the results you need! Stay tuned.