You gotta love Google Reader. Before I begin, may I recommend the following article – 5 elements of a successful FaceBook Fan Page.
There were quite a number of questions raised during Social Media Breakfast 6 which touched on FaceBook, specifically brands creating Pages and Groups to be closer connected to their consumers. This article highlights the ways you can make your group rock and it doesn’t have to be a fan page. It also works for those who are creating their own Unofficial InsertBrandNameHere Page! Now, I’m basically gonna make use of the headers in the entry and add-on from there. Feel free to add in your input in the comments section yeah?
1. Networking with other platforms
The article mentions how websites are now putting up links to their FaceBook pages. Which makes sense. You have your own website with all the nitty gritty techy and sales-ish information to try and convince the consumers to purchase your product. But that doesn’t allow for a two-way communication between yourself and your potential or current consumer. Your FaceBook group will allow for greater interactivity, what with your discussion threads which not just engage people in conversation but in turn, generates content which will pull people back to your page often to check for updates or read the latest reply. At the same time, you can also get people clued in to your Twitter account (if they’re that tech-savvy). Quick, easy communication and a more manageable way to post up brief updates on happenings with your brand without giving too much information away. Of course, be sure to link them back to your site for the full story.
2. Creating a resource
Okla. It’s cool to be happy and proud of your brand but people soon get bored and tiring of this never-ending glorification and eventually they’ll just tune out because it’s boring. The way to pull readers back and hankering for more is by providing more than what they want. They want a sandwich? Give them the offer to get a meal with cookies and a drink. Add links to resources which they might find valuable and useful and relates back to your product. Say I’m the owner/creator of a graphics software. I’ll add in tutorials on how to make things with the software and maybe even throw in additional stuff like brushes, plug-ins and the like. So the group page doesn’t just become a site where people go around and say “yeah this software/brand/product rocks”. They’ll be inclined to contribute more and even give feedback which will further aid your research in knowing what they want and possibly helping your research and development team to make your product work better.
3. Creating contests that include participation
In an Asian context, not quite sure how this can work out. But I have seen how some blogshop owners put up discounts and offers on their group pages as an added incentive for their patrons who have found and added them on FaceBook. I’ve always wondered what if you limited entry to the FaceBook group and made it a truly unique and exclusive group so that only thsoe who are continuous customers may join. As a reward, you provide discount codes and offer packages for their loyalty. Singaporeans love this thing about exclusivity. Makes us feel special. We like feeling special. Haha. On top of that, you can also release previews of your next collection or new product etc. There’s no harm in sending out in your electronic flyers, but perhaps you could give them first priority over purchase of a certain product and even at a discounted rate beore opening it to public. The group can also be an avenue for preview shots of products as well as feedback from your loyal customers. Because they’ve worked with you before and hence, trust you, they’d be more open and critical of things and help provide useful feedback for you to improve upon your product or service.
4. Empowering pre-existing pages
This might work with bigger brands. Unofficial pages are not bad things, unless they’re really talking shit about you. But even if that were the case, there are ways to turn it around or make use of the arsenal they’ve provided. Course, don’t instantly be intimidated or defensive when negative feedback reach your ears. Gotta take things with a pinch of salt and most importantly, realise that the only reason why they’re saying all those bad things is because they want to help you make your product/service better! Some people tell me that this is just denial but hey if you make the improvements and sales/awareness increases then it’s a win-win situation.
5. Targeting the proper demographic
Personally I feel, this is what most brands are doing wrong. When you talk about target demographic, you musn’t just think about which generatin is hip and cool and more willing to part with their case in exchange for your product. This was something I had to reiterate during SMB6. FaceBook is the in-thing now but it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s for everyone. Sometimes the transition needs to be gradual before you’ll be able to see any changes in the perception and reaction towards your product.
