Can social media help you with PRM? Part 2: Learning to “Like” Facebook as a PRM tool
You likely already use Facebook as a personal platform for showing off pictures of your enviable vacation or the fancily-plated dessert you had last night, but Facebook is more than just a way of sharing (or oversharing) with friends and family. A corporate Facebook page gives your company a chance to get personal with potential clients.
How? Share, Engage, and Invite.
Share
If you find useful information online, like a helpful sales video or a how-to article, you can spread the wealth of ideas and get people “liking” your company simply by sharing what you’ve discovered. Let’s take a look at a personal parallel: which Facebook friend’s regular status updates do you most look forward to reading, the friend who clues you in on interesting news and funny videos, or the friend who accosts your news feed with pictures of their lunch or worse, their most mundane thoughts and feelings?
When sharing, be highly selective. It could be something you have found online or a blog post you have written, but make sure it provides useful content for your readers. Also stay on topic; news, trends, and tips in your industry are your best bet.
Engage
Get people talking and exchanging information. When you Share, you encourage your readers to check out what you have to offer. But are they commenting on your status updates and checking out your company website? Engaging your readers can be as simple as asking a compelling question to get them thinking and responding. You can also include backlinks to interesting content on your webpage, like your corporate blog, to keep readers going to your site and joining the conversation (make sure to activate reader comments on your corporate blog).
Invite
Planning a networking event or webinar? Inviting prospects via Facebook is a good start, though keep in mind that you may have a disappointing turnout if you don’t follow some basic rules. For one, only invite those in your friends list whom you truly believe will get value from your event. Provide clear and thorough information about the event, and ask invitees to RSVP by selecting the “I’m Attending” option (this may seem obvious, but not everyone knows how to respond to a Facebook invite). Finally, promote your event on other platforms as well if you want a good turnout.
How can all this drive B2B sales and help you accumulate prospects?
Facebook gives you a lot of useful options for engaging and connecting with prospective customers, but you’ll have to make it easy for them to find you. That means featuring links to your Facebook page on your website and inviting prospects to follow you in your advertising and promotions.
Keep in mind that this social media platform is only valuable if you present your company in a positive light and build trust. For starters, provide complete, clear, and compelling information about your company. Fill out your profile in its entirety and make sure prospects can easily find your contact information. Most importantly, uphold your company image; that means business-appropriate photos, not the snaps from that booze-fueled company bash that everyone wishes they could remember (or forget).