Marketing Your Business via Online Groups
Are you a member with an online group and are wondering how you might interact there, gaining name recognition and attention for the business in an ethical way - a way in which you comply with the administrator's wishes and do not bombard the group with the "all about me" posts they all despise?
The key to marketing success is getting an effective promotional message about your company in front of large numbers of potential customers. Online Groups, such as those that are available on Facebook, are an excellent tool for making large numbers of people aware of your business, your products or services, and your message. Don't be afraid to do several Internet searches looking for groups within your genre/interests using a variety of keywords in your searches. You may be surprised at what you can find.
Here are some examples of what you might want to try using Facebook for the tips below, but feel free to try these tips elsewhere:
1. Search Groups for interests that you would expect your customers to have. For example, if you sell camping gear, search for groups using keywords like camping, hunting, or outdoors. You will find many groups that are relevant to your business. Don’t hesitate to join them all.
2. Post to those groups, and do it often. Posting more than once a day can be invasive and may prove to be tiresome to the members, however frequent posts at different times of the day and different times of the week will increase the likelihood that most of the members in the group will see your post. Since you may be joining dozens of groups, unique posts for each group might be impractical. Create posts that can be used across the whole range of groups you have joined.
3. Use images in your posts. Images get far more interest and response than simple text posts.
4. Include links to your website or a call to action (“Click for more information” for example) with images. Your first goal is to build exposure, and a large fan base is evidence of that growing exposure. You want the group’s members to go to your Facebook page, where they will find more information about you, your company and your products.
5. Direct mail marketing often asks us to have some item that can be emailed at regular intervals such as articles, tips or newsletters. Your business posts should have a call to action and a potential gift or opportunity or resource for your audience. When visitors sign up to receive that gift, etc. your email list grows, which can become an entirely separate marketing tool.
6. If you only advertise and promote in your posts, members become tired and skip your posts due to lack of interest. Be sure to create posts that actually provide value, whether entertainment or information, to the reader. You want to build a relationship with the reader that makes them more inclined to trust your business.
7. Whether posting ads or informative or entertaining posts, address problems that your product or service will solve for them. It doesn’t have to be a blatant cry for their business. Just making people think about the problem and creating an awareness that you can help contributes to the relationship.
8. Use giveaways to encourage visits to your Facebook page or website, or blog. Giveaways don’t have to be costly. An informative report that addresses visitors’ interests or can cost you nothing to put together and increase interest in your business.
9. In all of your efforts, keep in mind that your success is dependent upon building a relationship with the individuals in the group. Whether they are a few dozen or a few thousand, gear your campaigns to individuals, not groups.
10. Be Honest. Sure, that’s your intention, but don’t let promotional puffery slip over into false statements. Assume that the reader will at some point become aware that a claim or a promise was false. When they reach that awareness, all of your effort toward building a relationship is at risk. It is much better to promise less and deliver on every promise.
1. Search Groups for interests that you would expect your customers to have. For example, if you sell camping gear, search for groups using keywords like camping, hunting, or outdoors. You will find many groups that are relevant to your business. Don’t hesitate to join them all.
2. Post to those groups, and do it often. Posting more than once a day can be invasive and may prove to be tiresome to the members, however frequent posts at different times of the day and different times of the week will increase the likelihood that most of the members in the group will see your post. Since you may be joining dozens of groups, unique posts for each group might be impractical. Create posts that can be used across the whole range of groups you have joined.
3. Use images in your posts. Images get far more interest and response than simple text posts.
4. Include links to your website or a call to action (“Click for more information” for example) with images. Your first goal is to build exposure, and a large fan base is evidence of that growing exposure. You want the group’s members to go to your Facebook page, where they will find more information about you, your company and your products.
5. Direct mail marketing often asks us to have some item that can be emailed at regular intervals such as articles, tips or newsletters. Your business posts should have a call to action and a potential gift or opportunity or resource for your audience. When visitors sign up to receive that gift, etc. your email list grows, which can become an entirely separate marketing tool.
6. If you only advertise and promote in your posts, members become tired and skip your posts due to lack of interest. Be sure to create posts that actually provide value, whether entertainment or information, to the reader. You want to build a relationship with the reader that makes them more inclined to trust your business.
7. Whether posting ads or informative or entertaining posts, address problems that your product or service will solve for them. It doesn’t have to be a blatant cry for their business. Just making people think about the problem and creating an awareness that you can help contributes to the relationship.
8. Use giveaways to encourage visits to your Facebook page or website, or blog. Giveaways don’t have to be costly. An informative report that addresses visitors’ interests or can cost you nothing to put together and increase interest in your business.
9. In all of your efforts, keep in mind that your success is dependent upon building a relationship with the individuals in the group. Whether they are a few dozen or a few thousand, gear your campaigns to individuals, not groups.
10. Be Honest. Sure, that’s your intention, but don’t let promotional puffery slip over into false statements. Assume that the reader will at some point become aware that a claim or a promise was false. When they reach that awareness, all of your effort toward building a relationship is at risk. It is much better to promise less and deliver on every promise.
11. Respond to others' posts. Leave comments on blog posts and group posts and social media posts... have something to say, say it well, and invite a discussion with the individual. You can even respond to someone else that left a comment.
12. Remember that when you are online, you are representing your image, your business, your family. Everything you say matters. If you are upset, perhaps it is best not to say anything. If you think something is funny - perhaps send it just to a select group of contacts instead of posting it online, as that jokey joke just might offend others. Your political opinion, your health problems, your family member's private information, your vacations, etc. does not belong online.
~~
~~
~~
I think this is an informative post and it is very useful and knowledgeable. therefore, I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this article. internet marketing
ReplyDeleteThank you, Richard, for your kind and thoughtful response. Your comment means a lot to me. :)
DeleteWe can certainly see your enthusiasm in the work you are writing. Incredible post. Articles containing meaningful and enlightened remarks are more enjoyable. beautiful piece of article.
ReplyDeleteMindtechAffiliates.com
Here are some examples of creative writing prompts for high school. You can increase the number of pages in your text using a bigger line spacing. However, as in the previous cases, you should not use a huge interval. Increase it only a little.
ReplyDeleteI really loved reading your blog. It was very well authored and easy to undertand. Unlike additional blogs I have read which are really not tht good. I also found your posts very interesting. In fact after reading, I had to go show it to my friend and he ejoyed it as well! ėعķź²ģ¦
ReplyDeleteFantastic article post.Really looking forward to read more. Much obliged. ķ ķ ģ¬ģ“ķø
ReplyDeleteThanks for this blog.It was really interesting to read. ėعķź²ģ¦
ReplyDelete