How to generate leads via Facebook

Step by step approach to generate leads via Facebook

Nearly 2 Billion Potential Prospects On Facebook

Currently boasting over 1.86 BILLION members across the globe (with an average annual increase of 17% year after year), its perhaps little wonder that more and more businesses are now turning to the social media platform, Facebook, in order to generate more leads.  So what’s the best way of going about it? I have also made a Youtube video about this post if you want to watch the video instead click the link How to Generate Leads Using Facebook Video.

First Impressions Count

Firstly, it’s important to remember that “first impressions count”.  So you need to make your business profile as captivating as possible whilst also sending out an immediate message to your captive audience.  With Facebook’s recent advancement, you can now add a video profile photo so why not show off some of your work; or perhaps say “hello” in person with a brief description of the services or products that you’re able to offer?  By giving your business page that added personal touch you’ll certainly appeal to more viewers who eventually convert into paying clients or customers.

Tell Your Prospects And Customers More About You

Always be sure to provide a highly visible, direct link to your website and make sure that it’s as engaging as possible.  Again, try and add that personal touch where you can and make sure that the ‘About Us’ page of your website as well as on your Facebook page is as detailed as possible.  You need to engage with your potential customers so make sure they know as much about you – and your business – as possible.  Why not look at competitor websites, make comparisons and think about what you could do better?  How you could make your business page more appealing?

Understanding Direct And Indirect Leads On Facebook

Once you’ve established an interest in your business you’ll then need to connect with your ‘followers’.  Facebook easily enables you to capture two different types of leads – “direct leads” and “indirect leads”.  So, what’s the difference?

Direct leads are basically generated by sharing certain content which links directly back to your website.  This could take a number of different forms, whether it’s a voucher, special offer, competition or other offering, such as a free eBook to promote your service or product in exchange for their email and name.  These types of leads are ideal since they enable you to follow up on the customer experience e.g. did they enjoy using their voucher?  How was their customer experience?  How did they find the eBook and is there anything further you can provide? … You get the general idea. Once you have their email, it is up to you to build trust and credibility up with your prospects by creating value every time you email them anything. Give, Give, and Give, at least 7 times before you ask for anything in return like making an offer of any kind. Most people try and sell the moment they the email which in my opinion is only asking the subscriber to unsubscribe ASAP.

Indirect leads, on the other hand, are generated through ‘conversion’.  Let’s say, for example, that you’ve shared a blog post that had a ‘call-to-action’ to your landing page at the bottom of your post.  This initial Facebook share is then helping direct potential customers straight to you.

To ensure you get maximum impact (because, let’s be honest, you’ve possibly only got one shot at this), you need to make sure that your imagery is striking and quickly captures attention.  To achieve this, try and think outside of the box a little.  Can you make your business imagery a bit quirky, or fun?  Dull adverts won’t attract much (if any) attention so try and think of ways to make it stand out from the crowd.  Dare to be different.

Another great idea is to clearly signpost the reader as to where they’re going.  This might sound basic but the last thing you want to do is confuse the reader and lose their interest so be sure to use basic phrases such as “Enter the competition by clicking here” – attaching a direct link on the “here” so that it’s made as simple as possible.  No one likes searching around a website trying to find what they want so make sure you don’t fall foul of this.  Users can all too quickly lose interest and click away to another site.

Use Legal Images Or Royalty Free Images

Another crucial thing to remember is not to use material that’s already copyrighted – you could very easily end up being prosecuted!  If you’re not using your own images then make sure that they’re royalty free.  It’s easy enough to do a Google search to establish what you can (and can’t) use and if in doubt – don’t use it.

Using Facebook Live

So, once you’ve engaged the reader – the potential customer – you need to keep things interesting for them.  Static websites can be boring so be sure to keep it updated with all the latest news and offers as and when they happen.  Utilise your CTA (‘Call To Action’) potential with tempting headlines and, if you’re brave enough, why not try using the Facebook ‘Live’ option?  This relatively new platform allows you to broadcast live videos from your mobile phone and straight to your news feed.  It certainly makes for a fun and spontaneous option but be sure to think it through before you go live.  The last thing you need is an unexpected mishap, since you’ll be streaming to potential customers in real time (no rehearsals here!).  You could also use this platform to do live “question and answer” sessions; thus attracting further interest in what you do and exactly what you’re able to offer to your target market.  As you use the platform you’ll also be able to see who’s watching so be sure to acknowledge them and say “hello” when they come online and don’t forget to repeat vital messages you want to get across since people are likely to be logging on and off simultaneously.

How to Create A CTA Button On Facebook

Another great way to connect with potential customers is to add a “CTA” button to your business Facebook page.  This easy tool helps drive more traffic from Facebook directly to your website – all you do is choose from seven different options and then link it back to your website.  These options include “Contact us”, “Book now” etc.  To do this, simply click the “create call-to-action” button (which should be at the top of your page, directly to the left of the ‘like’ button).  Next choose your CTA option, input the link to the CTA you want to use and click “next”.  You’ll then be asked to select the destination for mobile users and voila – you’re ready to go!

How To Track Your Audience With Simple UTM Codes With Facebook

To make sure you keep firmly ahead of the game, why not monitor how many users are expressing an interest in your business?  All you need to do is attach a unique UTM tracking code to your URL.  Alternatively, you can kick back and let Facebook do all the work for you.  The relevant Facebook cookie is capable of tracking all the actions that take place on your web pages – just head over to your Ads Manager page and navigate to ‘Pixels’ which you’ll find under ‘Assets’.  This handy tool willalways tell you the number of clicks you’ve had in the past seven days so it’s super-easy to keep an eye on if you haven’t got time to monitor it yourself.  It even provides you with a user-friendly graph showing all your current trends!. I know you are thinking, Moe you are giving us so much value for free, why? It’s in my DNA to serve others.

How To Ask For Feedback

Another great way of engaging with potential customers is to invite feedback on your service or products.  You can do this quite easily by linking the request to a landing page.  The obvious downside of this is the possibility of receiving negative feedback which will then be made public, so be sure to respond to any such comments as quickly as possible.  On the plus side, it’ll show your customers that you genuinely care about your service and/or product, so it’s certainly not a bad thing when you consider the bigger picture.

How To Use Webinars Using Facebook

If your business is the type where a webinar might prove useful (e.g. for coaching, consulting, training and so on), then why not consider running one from your Facebook page?  You can do this by creating an event and inviting people along by completing a simple registration form.  The benefits of this are two-fold.  Firstly, you’re offering a ‘free’ advice service (whilst also answering any potential questions from prospects and customers) and you’re also capturing customer contact details on the registration of the webinar.  Once you’ve run the webinar you can then get in touch to ask for feedback, invite ideas for the next webinar and so on.  What’s more, if you’re going to be running webinars on a regular basis you can use the ‘events’ tab to share the information.  That way, anyone visiting your page can scroll through your upcoming events and express an interest.  It really is a great way to engage with both existing and potential customers.

How To Target Your Prospects On Facebook

Of course, engaging with your customers is one thing but extending your potential client base is entirely another.  Luckily Facebook has got this covered too and now has the capability of expanding your reach to brand new audiences.  The key objective, of course, is to convert a ‘follower’ into a ‘customer’.  To achieve this, Facebook offers the option to target people differently – for example, it can only target your adverts to people based on criteria such as their age, location, gender, income and interests.

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Facebook Adverts

Basically, there are five key formats for adverts:  Boosted Posts, Right-Hand Column Ads, News Feed Ads, Lead Ads and Email Gating.  Let’s take a look at each in a bit more detail:

Boosted Posts:  Whilst Facebook will charge a nominal fee for “boosting” your advert, it basically gives you a much better reach by showing your ads to other users – or a much wider audience.  You can even select your chosen targets ahead of time so that your advert gets seen exactly where and when you want it.

Perhaps surprisingly, Facebook are even able to assist targeting the right audience through the use of demographics, interests and behaviours e.g. type and size of business, location etc.  Interest targeting can be particularly useful if you’re unsure as to specific demographics.  For example, it can look at what books or magazines your target audience reads, any associations or groups they might belong to or contact that they may have with your key competitors.

When you set up your Facebook ads you have the option to group several filters together to increase your audience target size.  Alternatively, you can narrow the scope down by making the criteria more specific.  It’s amazing what you can find out so be sure to do your homework on this before you get yourself started!

Right-Hand Column Ads:  You’ll probably have noticed these every time you log onto Facebook.  They’re basically adverts which appear (as the name suggests!) on the right hand side of the Facebook page.  Again, if you’re using these then you need to maximise your Call To Action potential by making it as interesting – and as eye catching – as you possibly can.

News Feed Ads:  These type of ads appear directly on your news feed and can also include a Call To Action option.  If you’re promoting your business in this way then it’s a good idea to keep the advert short and snappy – something that your potential customer will want to read and not simply scroll past.  It’s also vital to keep the news feed updated so that customers know the information is fresh and up-to-date.

Lead Ads: Lead Ads are slightly different insofar as they enable users to sign up for lead-generating offers and content without even leaving Facebook!  How?!  Put simply, the forms auto-populate information, making it super easy for mobile users since they don’t have to fiddle around populating their information onto a small screen!  All you have to do is choose your ad, set your target and customise your form fields.  It really is that simple!

Email Gating:  This does exactly what it says on the tin – it guards your data and won’t unlock until you’re given the user’s email address.  So whether it’s an eBook, a case study or a ‘how to’ guide make sure users have to get through your gate!

Building Trust With Prospects And Customers

So, equipped with loads of great ideas to promote your business on Facebook you’re ready for step two – and that’s gaining your prospects and customer’s trust.

If you’re dealing with someone online, as opposed to in person, then you’re already faced with the challenge of putting a face to the name.  That’s one of the main reasons why it’s important to have a good profile picture and ‘about us’ page on your website.  You need to convey as much as you possibly can to your online customers so that they have a feel for what you’re about and ultimately remain confident that they can trust you.

A few of the basic points to get across are your business details – registered office address, company registration number (if you’re a limited company), telephone number, email address, website details and insurance details, if applicable.  It’s also useful to have a few customer testimonials available (complete with their contact details, if that’s possible).  That way, you’re immediately assuring the customer that you’re a trusted member of your profession.

Another good idea to establish trust is to share information about your day-to-day activities – and if you can add the odd funny tale, all the better!  If customers feel as though they can gain a glimpse of your work life – and perhaps some of the staff who work with you – they’ll usually bond with the business a lot quicker and of course, funny stories are a great icebreaker next time you make contact with the customer!

Know Your Customer

Most of all, it’s important to Know Your Customer (otherwise referred to as KYC).  The more you know, the more value you can add and the more value you can add, the more attractive you are against other competitors.  And it doesn’t have to be hard work.  If your customer is on Facebook, chances are that they’ll also show their date of birth so why not send a birthday card?  Or (without having them think you’re stalking them!) ask about a recent event they might have attended.  It not only shows that you’re interested but also gives you a great insight into their lifestyle and ways your business might be able to go that all important extra mile.

Set A Budget For Facebook Advertising

Of course, whilst it’s crucial to maintain presence on Facebook you also need to consider your budget for online advertising.  Ideally you should set a specific weekly/monthly amount to use and then stick to it.

If you’re looking to run an ad campaign then make sure you promote it over a set period of time and focus on whatever your objective might be e.g. increasing website clicks, getting conversions and so on.  You’ll be able to choose your objective from the campaign page on Facebook which will basically walk you through all the options.  It’s also advisable to test the water with a trial campaign using different images, texts and offers.  Some campaigns will naturally be more successful than others so it’s important to determine from the get-go what does – and doesn’t – work for your company.  Again, where possible, engage with your customers to invite feedback.  Whether it’s good or bad, you can then use the information to make the next campaign more appealing and best of all, you’ll prove to your customers that you’re receptive to new ideas and concepts.

Once you get to the ‘Optimise’ section, Facebook defaults to the goal you’ve selected for your campaign and optimises it.  So, for example, if you’ve got a pixel set up to track when customers convert from your website, Facebook will serve your advert to those people more likely to click.  It really is quite clever technology!

Another option you’ll be able to select is exactly when your ad campaign runs.  If you’re a 9-5 business then you could schedule your ad to run purely between those hours.  Alternatively, it can run 24 hours a day which can be particularly useful if you’re targeting customers from abroad or from different time zones.  Again, it’s all about trial and error until you start getting statistical information on your success rate.   Beyond that, you can start to tailor it accordingly so whilst it may take a little time to get going, it’ll certainly be worth it in the end.

Most of the time you’ll probably want to run with the ‘standard’ level of delivery but remember, if there’s something in the pipeline, such as a forthcoming webinar, you can ask Facebook to run it on ‘accelerated delivery’.  Either way, you can keep up to speed with the response rates by logging on to the Ads Manager for all the latest information.

Know Your Numbers Before Advertising On Facebook

Remember, before you go ‘live’, have a good think about what data you might want to monitor.  For example:

• The CTR (otherwise known as the ‘Click Through Rate’) for an indication of how interested your audience is in your ad campaign
• The number of website clicks you generate
• How many website conversions you’ve achieved and the cost to achieve each one

How many times each person has seen your ad on average (remember to keep it interesting to prevent boredom from creeping in!)

To identify the best-performing audience simply look for the highest CTR conversions, relevance score and the lowest cost per conversion.  You can then consider increasing your budget on the best performing campaign until it’s performing at a level you’re happy with (remember, you’ve also got to effectively handle the work once it starts coming in!).  And if you decide to change any variables make sure you do it one at a time to ensure you don’t lose sight of what appeals to your target audience.  Simply changing one element could make all the difference so keep a careful eye on what works best for both you and your business.

In essence then, Facebook is a brilliant way of generating leads for your business and does most of the hard work for you!  With easy to read statistical information and so many options on how to reach your target audience, the possibilities are endless.  What’s more, once you’re fully up and running you can then start nurturing new relationships with all those new leads and followers.  Beyond that, you can also set up an email marketing systems so that all your emails go out automatically leaving you to do what you do best – and that’s running your business without having to worry about attracting new leads!  What could possibly be more perfect than that?!

Moe Nawaz