Years ago, I sold copiers. As part of the training for copier sales, I went to sales school, and learned some pretty fundamental basics that apply to more than just copier sales. One of the highlights was the “radio” station, WIIFM, otherwise known as the acronym for the most basic principle in sales: What’s In It For Me?
In other words, as a salesperson, it was my job to convince a person of the benefits of buying a copier from me. The same question can be applied to Facebook.
Why should I become a fan of XXX brand? What do I get in return?
I took a look at my own Facebook profile; apparently, I’m a fan of 183 pages. I have fanned these pages for various reasons, but I can tell you that only a very small portion are giving me anything in return. Either through Facebook’s selective algorithm or through the pages own lack of updates, they’re not in my newsfeed and therefore, not in my thoughts.
What do I want in return for becoming a fan? I want useful news and information. I want to be reminded why I became a fan in the first place. I want to be able to secure a pretty sizable amount of information about the business, product, or service, without having to leave Facebook, and I want to be rewarded on occasion, for being a fan. I don’t need a discount or a free pastry, but I’d love some inside scoop, stuff that only fans get, or at least get first.
I want pictures, updates, and links, and I want them on a fairly regular basis. At least a couple times a week. If it’s a restaurant, I want to know what the specials are that day. If it’s a retail business, I want to know what came in this week and when the next sale starts. Or ideas about how I can use what they sell. If it’s a service, I want to know what services they’re preforming and for whom; examples of a job well done, and news and info that pertains to their service. And if it’s a blog or news outlet, well then, I want their news! In all cases, almost anything is acceptable, as long as they are updating me and keeping the page in my newsfeed so I remember that they’re out there.
The same concept applies to my friends, STATUS UPDATES ARE A COMMON COURTESY! Because we’re all on there to get a glimpse into the daily goings on of each other’s lives and without updates, we forget who’s there.
