selling on facebook
TRANSCRIPT
Table of Content
Goal #1: Adding a Shop Section in Facebook Using Shopify ...……………1
Goal #2: Using Images to Sell on Facebook …………………………………3
Goal #3: Using Facebook Sales Groups to Sell or Promote Products …..…7
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How to Use Facebook to Sell Your Products and Services
Facebook has over 1.71 billion users every single month.
If you are able to target just 100, 000 active users, this can have a meaningful impact on your
business.
Local Facebook groups are where people harness Facebook's power to sell to others in the local
community.
Facebook is free to join and there are no fees for selling either, so it's very low-risk.
Many businesses are now using Facebook to sell.
Listed below are 3 ways to leverage Facebook for promoting products and increasing brand
awareness.
Goal #1: Add a Shop Section on Your Facebook Page using Shopify
Businesses can use Shopify's Facebook sales channel to display and sell products from their
online store directly on Facebook, where they appear under the Shop tab on their Facebook page:
The Facebook sales channel helps businesses build their Shopify business in some great ways:
Add Shopify ecommerce to your current Facebook page, optimized for both desktop and
mobile.
A two-click checkout process lets customers purchase from you directly on Facebook
without redirecting to your Shopify store.
Easy integration with Shopify means that you can review sales and traffic data from
your Shopify Home.
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#1: Set Up a Facebook Store
A great way to get started with selling on Facebook is to set up an e-commerce store using a service
like Shopify.
- After setting up an account, a link to your shop will appears under ‘Apps’ on your
Facebook Page.
- A Shopify store is easy to set up, and for only $9/month you can add unlimited
products to your store.
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Goal #2: Selling on Facebook Using Images and Graphics
The number-one reason people like a Facebook page is to receive a discount or other promotion.
If you want to drive online sales for your business, images and graphics that feature discounts
and promotions are an engaging way to give your Facebook fans what they want.
Image posts receive 53% more likes, attract 104% more comments and see 120% more
engagement than other posts.
Combine the power of image posts with the draw of a sale or discount and you’ll see increased
online revenue.
#1: Offer Promo Codes for Holiday Sales
Here’s an example of a promotional graphic Diamond Candles put out for their Labor
Day sale:
- Create an engaging graphic to promote your discount or sale during holiday seasons
such as Black Friday discounts, a 10% Off discount or a Buy 2 Get 1 Free offer
during Cyber Monday, Boxing Day or Labour Day.
- Include a promotional code in the images and graphics for sales advertisement, so
you can track the revenue from your campaign. When you post the image to your
Facebook timeline, use a clear call to action in the copy of the post so your fans
know exactly how to complete their purchase.
- Holidays like Thanksgiving, New Year’s Day and even Labor Day are a great time
to promote sales and discounts to your Facebook community. And an appealing
graphic draws attention to the promo code for your special holiday offer.
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#2: Reward Fans Who Tell a Friend
Rent the Runway used a Share to Unlock promotion that gave sharing fans early access to
their Fourth of July sale.
- Create a graphic that tells your fans you’ll unlock a special promo code if your
image receives a certain number of shares.
- If you don’t have a very big fan base or you don’t receive a lot of engagement on
your Facebook page, require fewer than 100 shares to unlock the code. Because only
people who already engage with your page are likely to see your updates, you might
want to kick start engagement with a promoted post.
- The good news is this type of promotion helps you increase organic engagement so
you won’t have to pay to promote your next offer.
- While they drive revenue for the company, one additional bonus of Share to Unlock
promotions is that they increase engagement with fans and build brand awareness
with friends of fans.
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#3: Show Off Product Features
Fitness fashion brand Ellie used a graphic to point out some of the best features of their
fitness tank, while encouraging fans to buy the top in the post message.
- Your Facebook page is a great place to show off the best features of your products.
- Create a graphic to capture your fans’ attention and point out the features of your
product that aren’t immediately visible.
- Post the image and include a call to action with a direct link to the product in your
online store to make purchases as easy as possible.
- Online your images and graphics need to do the talking and selling.
#4: Give a Free Gift with Purchase
For example, this free Greenies jar offer from PetSmart is popular because it’s promoted to
people who already purchase Greenies products.
- Offering a free gift with purchase may be one of the oldest promotions in the book,
but it’s stuck around because it’s a very effective revenue-generating tactic.
- Create an appealing graphic to offer a free gift that’s relevant to your target
audience.
- If you have a large fan base, use custom audiences to make sure the right people
see your offer.
- The right photo and clear graphics can make your free gift offer stand out.
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#5: Countdown to a Deadline
The smart marketers over at MarketingProfs used this tactic to boost sales from their ecommerce
store in a countdown to their B2B Marketing Forum event.
- A Countdown promo keeps your fans hyper-engaged for an extended period of
time.
- Create a graphic that reveals, for example, a 24-hour sale on a different popular
product from your ecommerce store each day for 10 days.
- Excited fans will visit your Facebook page to find each day’s image and you’ll see
a boost in revenue from Facebook for 10 days straight.
- Cool graphics help keep fans interested in the countdown and contribute to its
success.
#6: Promote a Limited-Time Offer
- An image that promotes a limited-time offer helps create the sense of urgency
needed to drive sales NOW.
- The use of images when promoting Limited-Time Offers encourages your
customers to take advantage of your promotions when they first see them.
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Goal #3: Use Facebook Buy and Sell Groups to Sell or Promote Your
Products
These groups function much like an Etsy shop or EBay – some are set up for direct selling, while
others require users to bid over a set period of time (usually 24 hours).
There are local groups for everything you can imagine, especially in bigger metropolitan areas:
household items, kid’s clothes, baked goods, cars and even real estate. Try searching Facebook
for your city or town name, and see what comes up.
#1: Find the Right Facebook Sale Group
It’s simple to find a sale group on Facebook. Go to the search box at the top of your screen and
type in your city or area, plus a term such as “sale group,” “yard sale” or “buy sell trade.” A long
list of options will probably appear. If not, broaden your geographical search. For instance,
instead of using the name of your small town, search your county name or the nearest larger city.
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You may also have a “sale groups” tab in your left-hand column that will give you a list of
suggested groups and a map of where they’re based.
To join a group, click on the name. You’ll see a green “join group” button toward the top of the
page. Once you click it, the button will show that your membership is pending. That’s because
the group’s administrator will have to approve you. For a community-based sale group, this is
typically a formality, but be patient: It may take a little time for the admin to OK your request.
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#2: Read the Rules
Once you join a sale group, the very first thing you should do is read the rules. You’ll typically
find these either in a pinned post at the top of the page or in the group description along the right.
Rules will vary widely from page to page, but they’ll typically specify the following:
Buying/selling area: While you may be able to join a group for a city where you don’t
live, it’s common for the rules to require you to deliver your item there.
Acceptable items: Some groups are general and allow just about everything; some are
more specific (furniture, toys, clothing). Certain items, though they may seem to fit the
group, may be excluded. They may also specify that an item must be in good or excellent
used condition (“GUC” or “EUC”) with working batteries, no stains, and so forth.
Instructions for selling: Most groups will require you to post a current photo of the item
you’re selling. That means you can’t simply find a stock photo online and use it;
members need to see the item in its current condition. They may also specify that you
describe it as fully as possible and name a price — for instance, no free items or asking
for members to make an offer. Finally, many groups will prohibit you from listing a large
“lot” of items, allowing only a certain number per post.
Instructions for buying: Again, rules will vary by group, but most groups will allow a
potential buyer to post either “interested” or “sold” under an item. “Interested” is
essentially a placeholder, giving you a certain amount of time to ask the seller questions,
see whether your spouse likes the item, or do some research on the purchase. If you
haven’t decided to buy the item within that time period, the seller can move on to the next
person who posted.
Ban on self-promotion: Sale groups offer quick access to a potentially large audience, so
admins often ban members from posting about their own businesses or services.
Once you’ve read the rules, make sure you follow them. While most admins understand honest
mistakes, repeat offenders are usually removed from the group.
#3: Take Good Photos
Good, clear photos from multiple angles are often the difference between making a sale and
seeing your item languish.
If possible, get a picture in natural light, which is less harsh. Try not to use flash. If needed, dust
or wipe down your item, and move it away from other clutter. If you can, find a solid
background that will help it “pop,” and be sure to get a close-up of any flaws so that potential
buyers are clear about its condition.
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#4: Describe the Product for Sale
Good photos are most important, but a good description is a close second. Tell the buyer exactly
what they’re looking at. If you’ve barely used the item, say so — maybe you’re only selling
something that was the wrong size, or a gift that wasn’t your taste.
For furniture or other large objects, post dimensions. If there are any flaws, be specific. If you
have a smoke-free, pet-free home, it’s worth noting — both are selling points, especially when it
comes to furniture or clothing.
#5: Set a Fair Price
Before you list anything, scan your group for similar items. What are they being listed for? Is
there any interest? While you don’t necessarily need to resort to rock-bottom, yard-sale prices,
you still need to take into account two main factors: demand and condition.
#6: Look for More Specific Groups
You’ll probably have much better luck selling an item if you can find a group that’s as narrowly
tailored as possible — it helps to make sure you’re reaching members that are more interested in
buying.
Also note that there are some groups with more of a focus on pricing and quality: “yard sale
groups,” “upscale groups” and everything in between.