Create brand evangelists for your start-ups with these Facebook hacks

It was a crisp Sunday morning in the early 90s; garlands on the entrance and music from a latest Madhuri Dixit blockbuster screamed loud and clear – it was the inauguration of my dad’s new shoe shop. One of the salespersons’ stood at the corner of the lane handing out pamphlets while the other offered laddoos on the happy occasion.

The final adornment was my entire clan, decked up head to toe – the fuller the shop appears, the more customers are likely to enter.

Is it just me or this, sounds like the marketing plan for a start-up? There are freebies, banner ads, launch setup, and a sample audience (in this case my family). The offline retail scenario might have changed now, but, it left a lot for us to learn from.

If you’re start-up, all set to enter the marketing game, take a look at these 5 Facebook hacks from the offline retail chronicles.

Focus on pre-launch

Pre-buzz plays a fundamental role in brand building on Facebook. It’s the precise time to build sample audience and create evangelists for your brand.

Once launched get all your friends and family members to like it. With a decent amount of fans in your kitty, get into budgeted lead acquisition process to acquire audiences of duplicate brands and industries.

Use accurate filters basis Geography, interests, age, and gender of your core TG. Further, you can rely on options such as Custom Audiences and Lookalike Audiences for spotting customers in existing Facebook users.

Audience acquired in this phase is most likely to stick around as they have seen the brand grow; they further act as a catalyst in attracting newer audiences post launch.

Try before buy

The recent Deloitte report suggests that 56% consumers research a brand on Facebook before making a purchase. Giving consumers an option to sample the product through Facebook itself, rules out the hassle of changing platforms for having to complete their transaction.

Try contests which involve your consumers going through your products and services, creating conversations around the same.

Offer free trials and coupon codes on Facebook, these offer further impetus in terms of giving users a push to trying the product.

Don’t forget the basics

Veteran marketers often go on record with statements such as Facebook’s organic reach is dead. While it stands true to certain extent, basics of Facebook marketing still stand the same and are very much effective.

Assess marketing axioms such as 5% off on every order through Facebook. Gratification or cash-back for Facebook purchases or referrals could also prove to be successful in the initial stage. It’s just like offering laddoos and playing music – they work as a shout out to the consumers.

Also, if you’re an app based start-up create a download CTA button on your brand timeline.

Go utility

When information becomes cheap, brands fight for attention. This attention can be achieved only when you give them what they want. The Deloitte report further suggests that 71% consumers go online first whenever they have a problem with a product.

In addition to customer service, offer solutions to their issues in the same industry. For instance, an online groceries app can give diet plans and tips.

Entertain with content

All being said and done, content is the new messaging vehicle. You already know that it has to be short, engaging, and shareable. How? Take to GIFs, short video formats and innovative content formats such as Cinemagraphs.

Facebook marketing for a start-up is that double edged sword which needs precise manoeuvring for apt results in budgeted scenarios. To understand Facebook marketing dynamics better, be a part of our Facebook marketing workshop on February 06, 2015. The workshop aims at simplifying Facebook marketing for start-ups, home business, and independent consultants.