There’s a reason entrepreneurs and owners of small businesses use Facebook as part of their marketing strategy – it works. When you own a small business, competition is tough and keeping your customer’s interest can be a challenge.
The good news is that even with a small budget, you can make an impact and reach more of your market share using social media. And Facebook is one place to do it, giving you maximum exposure to existing and potential customers at no cost.
Here are the top 3 budget-friendly tips for Facebook marketing.
1. Create a Business Page.
Facebook Business is designed for the entrepreneur with a small and limited budget, helping you market your business without using any of your marketing budget. There is no cost to creating a Facebook page for your business and it comes with numerous tools for creating content and managing all your needs as a small entrepreneur.
When building your business Facebook page, you can get ideas on how to create and customize your Facebook business page in this article. The overall guidelines are to include as much information as possible about your brand and business, such as how to contact you, your website, hours of business, and of course your products and services.
Once you’ve set up your business page, use some of these free Facebook page features to reach your customers:
Call-to-Action.
One of the best advantages of Facebook marketing is being able to add a call-to-action button on your page. Using this feature is the ideal way to drive more customer traffic to your business. You can customize call-to-action buttons that achieve different goals, such as a “Contact Us” or “Sign Up” button. You can also encourage customers to make direct bookings with you by creating a “Book Now” call-to-action button, which can be integrated with scheduling software.
Schedule Posts.
Create posts and schedule them to publish on your page on a future date. This allows you to create content in advance and engage with your followers even when you’re not online.
Similar Page Suggestions.
Turn on “Similar Page Suggestions”, found on your settings menu. When turned on, your Facebook page will be recommended when people visit a page that’s similar to yours. This can drive up the traffic to your own Facebook page.
2. Use Attention Grabbing Visual Content.
Visuals need to be an integral part of your marketing plan. Why? Marketing research shows that people engage 2.3 times more with Facebook posts that have images. Even on a limited budget as a small entrepreneur, you can effectively use images and video throughout your business page and within posts to capture the attention of your customers. You can do this by choosing free images from Unsplash, Pexels, or other websites offering free images.
Here’s how to implement effective visual content:
Optimize the cover photo.
The cover photo at the top is what people are going to notice first when they land on your page. Make sure your cover photo stands out and lets people know exactly who you are. Choose one that’s related to your business and make it memorable.
Eye-catching profile picture.
Choose an image that’s easy for people to recognize, such as your headshot or the logo of your brand. It’s this thumbnail image that’s going to be displayed when you post on other Facebook pages.
Content images.
Add images to content when appropriate – but don’t go too far with images, which can also be overwhelming if there’s too many of them.
3. Promote Your Brand.
As a small business owner, Facebook can help you build your brand and build a relationship with your customers. This is your platform to connect with customers and prove how amazing you are. Here’s how to gain more exposure on Facebook and reach more followers:
- Focus on customer service by responding quickly to any customer messages or feedback.
- Pin important posts to the top of your Facebook page – this way you get the most leverage out of one post.
- Include special offers and contests on your page. 39% of Facebook users will follow pages that are offering a special promotion or a discount.
- Share milestones and achievements with your followers, such as your first anniversary.
- Share customer feedback and use it to open a discussion and engage other followers.
Final Words.
Facebook isn’t just a place for people to connect with family and friends – using Facebook as an entrepreneur is a smart and effective way to grow your business. As a marketing tool, Facebook lets you share your products and services and promote your brand in creative ways. Using these budget-friendly tips, you’re on your way to becoming a successful entrepreneur.
