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Most direct sales companies are creating Facebook Pages these days. There are a lot of good reasons to:
- Increased brand exposure
- More direct communication with consultants
- The ability to connect directly with the consumer
And so much more!
But have you ever noticed that some direct sales company pages are SUPER active, with lots of comments and fan engagement, while others are just a steady stream of company posts, with no response whatsoever? What’s the difference? Why are some people “Like-ing” and engaging, while others “Like” and then never come back?
There are two things going on here, and the solution is the same for both.
Issue #1: Your posts aren’t engaging people, so they’re not showing up in people’s news feeds.
The default setting for people on Facebook is “Top News.” This means that the only posts that show up when people log in to Facebook are the ones that other people have commented on or interacted with in some way, or are from a Page that they have recently interacted with. Since 99.5% of all the interaction that happens with a Facebook Page occurs from the News Feed, if you’re not showing up there you have a problem.
Issue #2: Your posts are all about you.
You already know that people only care about your brand insofar as it solves a problem or meets a need that they have. So if all you talk about is your latest special or your next opportunity call, it’s a disconnect. Even though on the surface you might think that the posts about your products and opportunity are why you have the Facebook Page, it’s not true. If you don’t engage people first, they’ll ignore you. 9 out of every 10 posts on your Page should be specifically designed to provide VALUE and promote ENGAGEMENT.
The Solution
So if you’ve suddenly realized that your company Facebook Page is not even showing up for most of your Fans, what should you do? Here are some suggestions:
- Begin by creating a list of “Engagement” posts. These are posts that provide tips, ideas, ask questions, or in some other way provide value to your list of “Like-ers.” You might consider “crowd-sourcing” ideas for your next product (e.g. Would you like a pumpkin or a cranberry-colored one?), run contests where people can win products (just make sure you stay within Facebook’s rules for that, by using a company like WildFire), or share posts that relate to common aggravations or experiences (e.g. Hit “Like” if you’ve ever lit a candle to offset the smell of your kids’ stinky sneakers! Tell us which scent you used!)
- Put all of your posts into a monthly editorial calendar. How do they balance? Sometimes we need to fifty-foot view to see that we’re way too heavy on the promotional end, and way too light on the value and engagement end.
- Engage back. Do you respond to every single comment and post on your Page? Do you even know if people HAVE commented? You should! In this social arena, one of your biggest tools is, well, social. So respond to every single comment, even if it’s just a “thanks for sharing your ideas” or clicking the “Like” link on a comment. It helps people to stay engaged when it’s a 2-way conversation.
- Show your consultants how to participate. Your ace in the hole, so to speak, is your field of independent consultants. If you take a look at The Pampered Chef Facebook Page (disclosure: client), and click “The Pampered Chef + Others” at the top, you’ll see a vibrant and engaged community of consultants sharing tips and ideas. This activity makes Facebook think that the Page is relevant to a lot of people, which means it’s more likely to appear in the Top News feed. Make sure your consultants know how to use your corporate Facebook Page. Invite them to share tips they would share at their parties, answer questions, and express their enthusiasm on the posts you put out there. This will help people checking out your company to see what a great and engaged community that you have, while also helping you engage more of your current fans.
The more that people engage with your posts, the more likely it will be that your posts will show up in the Top News home page of your Fans. And if you’d like more Engagement ideas, check out this post I wrote over on my Direct Sales and Social Media blog: Building Your Facebook Page Engagement Strategy
How do you engage the people who “Like” your Facebook Page? Would love to read your thoughts in the comments below!
Jennifer Fong
Jennifer Fong helps direct sales companies leverage the power of social media marketing to increase sales and recruiting, and manage online brand perception. She provides strategic social media consulting to companies, as well as conference speaking and training. To learn more about how Jennifer can help your company, visit http://luceandassociates.com/Jennifer-Fong.html. You can also check out her direct sales and social media blog at http://www.jenfongspeaks.com, and her Facebook Page at http://facebook.com/jenfongspeaks.
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