From the looks of the local social digital marketing landscape here in Carlsbad, we’re already past the point of San Diego small businesses using Facebook as an inbound marketing component to their overall digital practice marketing plan.
We’ve gone from Facebook to Foursquare at light speed, and we’re still trying to figure out whether or not Google+ will be advantageous.
It will be…it is!
What seems to be the sticking point with regards to Facebook in particular, is the effectiveness of these social media engagement efforts.
Back in 2010, if a local apothecary or haberdashery had a Facebook (Business) page, the main goal – however shortsighted it may have been – was to build ‘Likes.’
And that’s exactly where some San Diego small businesses end their effectiveness.
More importantly, and despite the myriad of changes to the social media environment (as its defined by Facebook and Google+), most local small businesses still depend on the amount of ‘Likes’ to determine their return on engagement.
But that measurement is not an accurate representation of ROE!
Yes, the amount of ‘Likes’ a local small business Facebook page has certainly should be used as a foundational metric on which to base their social media success, but only as a window to the bigger picture.
Return on Engagement
Social media as it relates to Carlsbad small business generally takes on a three phased approach.
- We build our page, our customers will come.
- Some longtime local customers came, but when we asked them to participate we noticed better results, now what?
- Facebook is an integral component of our marketing plan; we consistently generate digital word of mouth referrals every month.
Way over simplified and glittering with generality, but what’s important here is the momentum and action beyond the ‘Like.’
Beneficial social media communications come in many forms, and Facebook should be a main conduit for publishing that info to your fans, followers, family, friends, and constituents.
Getting the ‘Like’ is important, but is only an ice-breaking quicker than two shakes of a lamb’s tail virtual meeting.
It’s very much like meeting someone at a trade show – or in front of Harbor Fish watching the sunset; and handing over a business card, shaking hands, and walking away never to see (or communicate) with that person ever again.
Although it’s beneficial to show up and that is often the most important ingredient to success, for all sentiment intents and digital marketing purposes, it’s a waste of time if the relationship never progresses beyond that initial meeting.
A correlation fit to be tied to my dating life.
Beyond the Like
Enduring actionable social media communications begin at the ‘Like’…but never end.
When it comes to applying social media communications, consistency and quality win out over quantity; remaining consistently diligent in using Facebook beyond recruiting ‘Likes’ comes down to sharing, promoting, and publishing.
Your small business website and blog are two primary components of your social media action plan; they both need to be integrated into your Facebook communications in order for your local Carlsbad business to go from social zero to local hero.
What Customers Want on Facebook
- Customers want to save money on your products and/or services.
- Customers want to know about improvements in product technology, service options, product updates, tips, and how-tos.
- Customers want to see, hear, and read about how great you and your business are – from your other customers, not from you! (and they want to participate in that success)
- Customers need to be hit over the head with these messages ad nauseam!
- Customers want to share our businesses with friends and family…but we need to ask them to do so…or set up a way for them to automatically systematically blast their positive digital word of mouth into the local social stratosphere before they’ve walked out the door!
Engage with your customers beyond the ‘Like’ and reap the rewards.
If you think all these social media Facebook twittermajig doohickeys are all balderdash, what correlations could you derive from this piece of social media content?
“What do you really want from your toilet paper?” (Notice the not so subtle Facebook push…no website URL, no 800 #…just Facebook!)
How J&J, Georgia Pacific, or whomever has the toilet paper market on lockdown these days, can engage with their customers beyond the ‘Like’ seems monumentally more challenging than a Carlsbad small business effectively enhancing existing customer communications and new customer acquisition through Facebook.
If consumers can ‘Like’ and engage with a Facebook page dedicated to toilet paper, don’t you think your local San Diego small business could put forth a little more effort in your Facebook page?
Who could possibly engage with a page dedicated to selling more toilet paper?
Only 140,180 people…and growing – albeit a relatively small cross-section of folks out there reliant on this cutting-edge technology.
But that’s just ‘Likes’…check out this Charmin Facebook page to see how they go above and beyond engaging with their customers beyond the ‘Like’!
As always, if you have questions or comments post them below and share on Facebook.
And if your local Carlsbad small business could use some social media life-support, or even just a social media concierge, contact us.
You can ‘Like’ us on Facebook and ‘Follow’ us on Twitter too!
Please feel free to substitute this material should your Carlsbad small business run out of the chosen brand…
