TribalChoice is starting to move it's customer base to the world of Social Media - not with links and posts - With real metrics, and strategies to ensure that we can prove a measurable return on all things Social....
Check out this great article from http://www.entrepreneur.com excerpts below....Also ping me if you want to know more about our SMO strategies andrew@tribalchoice.com.au
Many business owners think about Facebook in a one-dimensional way: Create a page of your own where you can promote your brand and products or services.
But there's potentially a lot more to it than that. One underutilized strategy is creating Facebook groups,
which provide an easy way to segment customers. With groups, you can
create communities around particular products, improve customer service,
provide a networking forum for customers and even drive new sales.
You segment your email list, right? So why not segment your Facebook community, too?
To create a group, login to your Facebook account, go to the Home
page and in the left column you will see an option to "Create a Group."
So far, few business owners are using Facebook groups for customer
retention and acquisition. Get a jump on the competition by trying out
these three Facebook group strategies:
Related: 3 Strategies for Using Facebook's Promoted Posts
1. Use closed groups as a customer support hub.
A closed Facebook group can be used to deliver support to a specific
customer segment, cutting down on customer email clutter and providing a
central place to get feedback on what is and isn't working for your
business. For example, I have closed groups for all my online training
programs to offer support to my clients and give them a chance to
network with each other.
The goal is to generate an open dialogue between you and your
customers by providing a special spot for them to ask questions.
Although Facebook users can see who is in the group, they can’t see
members’ posts without joining the group. That way, group members don’t
worry that their questions will end up in a friend’s newsfeed.
Use the group to share documents, such as FAQs, and appoint one of
your community managers to jump in and answer customer questions. This
can also be an ideal forum for announcing product updates, sharing
discounts and inviting customers to events and contests. Group members
who have already made a purchase are usually more likely to engage with
your brand again, especially if they’re happy with the customer service.
Related: Critical Questions to Ask Yourself Before Posting to Facebook
2. Use 'secret' members-only groups as networking hubs for current customers.
If your goal on Facebook is to create a tribe-like community, then a
secret, members-only group can be worth investigating. Unlike closed
groups, only members can see who is in the group.
Secret groups allow you to create a personalized, private feedback
loop, which can be a priceless engagement and retention tool. They’re
ideal for providing extra value to your VIP-level clients and customers.
A private group may be especially appropriate for businesses whose
products and services have a more exclusive audience, such as coaching
organizations and training and consulting providers. The closed group
atmosphere can create a sense of exclusivity and your clients will get
direct access to you and your team.
I use secret groups both for retention and customer acquisition. A
private group provides a forum where my consulting clients can network
and share strategies with other marketing professionals. Clients love
having a place to candidly ask me and experts in the group for feedback.
It’s been such a popular feature that I now use secret groups with
all of my products. As a result, I’ve seen a 30 percent increase in
returning customers after I introduce a new program. Also, my return
rate has dropped because customers know I am there to support them when
they have issues.
Related: 5 Things You Need to Know About Facebook's Edgerank Algorithm
3. Use open groups to build awareness, authority and interest in your brand.
There already are plenty of open groups on Facebook. The narrower the
niche or hyper-local the group, the more likely it is to be lively and
engaged -- such as these local “free-cycling” and photographer groups.
Start or join an open group focused on your business niche. Use it
not to sell your products directly, but rather to establish yourself as
an expert and to network with others in your industry. For example, if
you edit photographs for a living, a photography group is a way to share
your expertise and provide relevant content in a more personal and
community-focused way than with a brand page.
For all types of Facebook groups, use the “About” tab to outline the
purpose and goals. Create and post membership guidelines to the
"Documents" tab, especially for closed and secret groups, because you
may want to allow members to invite friends when appropriate.
And focus more on participation than messaging. Groups are about
dialogue, not direct sales. Encourage customers to interact and post
often
