Developing relationships with your customers through Facebook

I believe there are 3 simple rules to an effective Facebook strategy for a business/brand/product/service.

• Understand your brand, and the people who relate to it.
• Know the people who are following you, and what they want from you.
• Realise what they find interesting and engage in conversation.

Does this user want entertainment? The likely answer is yes. Although they would not be following brands directly for content it gives them, its likely that decent content will keep them happy and ultimately develop a RELATIONSHIP. This relationship is what brands should be striving for, some level of trust and developed respect for both parties. Its a two way activity. Don't think your followers aren't clever. They don't want to see your promotions straight away, they are in social media spaces to engage in conversation. So give them what they want.


Knowing your target market, and the type of people who follow you on Facebook can allow you to deduce what type of content they would find interesting. For example if we take Natwest Bank again, interesting posts would come in the form of government developments and changes to the way people's money is spent. Basically interesting things in the financial sector. It's pointless for Natwest to be posting about last night's X Factor results. On the other hand, if you're handling the Facebook list for a brand such as an online Bingo brand, it would be in your best interests to post about X Factor or other things you can identify your target market relate to.


There's no rule of thumb, but going into your Facebook strategy gung-ho won't get you anywhere. Think about your brand/product/service and what complimentary industries there are. Think about why prospects and customers are following you in the first place. Think about what they would like to hear about, the stuff they like. Don't expect a Facebook presence to immediately increase your sales, but think of it as an investment into the future relationship you could have with your customers. Don't give them the hard sell and try to push them into parting with their money straight away.


Follow these 3 rules and a relationship will develop, and over time lead to sales and new brand ambassadors, which in my opinion are the most valuable things a business can gain.