The Bare Bones Facebook Page For Small Business Owners
Three steps to an effective but low-maintenance Facebook page for home services business owners.
This is the second article in a series. The first is “Owned Social Media is a Waste of Time.”
For many local small businesses, developing owned social media content is time-consuming, inefficient, and a business-losing proposition. It takes time to create good content and once you start, you can’t stop without risking that visitors will think your business is inactive.
Social media remains an important marketing tool, however, and a competitive differentiator. When leveraged strategically, a business profile on social media can serve as a shop window and source leads. So how does a time-strapped small business owner keep up with the competition without sinking time and resources into a bottomless pit?
If you are a small business owner in the home services industry, this article is for you. I will explain the three simple steps to a no-maintenance, visitor-friendly Facebook page. Once you complete them, you will not have to think about your social media again. (Well, hardly ever.)
Before we get started, here’s why you should focus solely on Facebook:
You can reach a big segment of your target audience. Facebook is the most popular social media platform among 35–74 year-olds. 75% of homeowners fall in that same age bracket.
You can build credibility for your business since Facebook has a review function.
You can get referrals and find customers in an organic, non-sales-y way. Facebook is home to a multitude of neighborhood and community groups.
Step 1: Set Up Your Business Page
Make sure to address these three elements to make the most of your new page:
Fill out every element on your profile: profile and cover photos, company description, and every piece of contact information. This will give page visitors the key information they need. It will also make your profile look active.
2. Choose a primary call-to-action button that encourages visitors to get in touch using your preferred mode of communication. This could mean a “Call Now,” “Contact Us,” “Send Message,” or “Send WhatsApp Message” button. This will ensure that you never miss a message or a call from a prospective customer.
3. Turn on the “Reviews” module. This will allow visitors to leave reviews on your page and build up your business’s credibility. To do this, go to “Settings” > “Templates and Tabs” and make sure the “Reviews” section is toggled on.
Step 2: Create Your First (And Only!) Post
You read that right. You only need one post for your Facebook business page.
This post has three important purposes:
Tells your visitors know that you are in business;
Explains why they should use you; and
Sets expectations that you do not create your own social media content.
Here’s what you should say.
Start with this fill-in-the-blank message and adjust it however you please.
“We offer [brief description of services]. We pride ourselves on our [top 2–3 qualities]. Give us a call! We’d love to help you.
PS We do not have much time to update our Facebook page because we’re serving customers like you. Give our page a like to bookmark us for the future.”
Now make the message stand out.
Once you are happy with the message, add it to a graphic that is relevant to your company and industry. You can use Google Slides as a very simple design tool.
Here’s an example I mocked up for Dapper Ducts, a duct and chimney cleaning company:
Ready?
Now upload the graphic and post! (If you get prompted to use Facebook Business Suite while you’re posting, hit “Not Now.”)
That’s it. You’re done with content creation for your page. Forever.
If you happen to check on your page every few months, you could delete your graphic and re-upload it just to keep the date looking recent. After all, the more recent the post, the more it reinforces to visitors that you are in business. That being said, this is completely optional.
Step 3: Get Customer Reviews
The finishing touch on your page is to get some 5-star reviews. After all, 61% of customers read 11–50 reviews before choosing a local business. To get reviews, send an email or a text message to 20 of your most recent and/or most loyal customers:
“Hi! I just started a Facebook page for my business. Do you have 1 minute to leave me a review? It would help me grow my business. Here’s a link: [include a link to your Facebook page here.] Thank you!”
These first reviews will give visitors a good impression of your company, but turn asking for reviews — no matter the platform — into a habit. Customers trust reviews more if they are recent. Investing in an automated text or email system that asks customers to write Google, Yelp, or Facebook reviews will help. If you already have such a system, great! Just add Facebook as an option for reviewing.
. . .
With your bare-bones Facebook page ready to go, it is time to encourage people to visit it. You can:
Link it from your business’s website;
Add it to your email signature; and
Include it on your company business cards.
In the next installment of this series, I explain how small business owners can build trust and generate referrals from Facebook groups.
Here are two ways I can help you:
Serve as your business’s Fractional CMO.
Analyze and optimize your marketing strategy.
Interested? Send me a note.