Client attraction. Business growth. Pretty profits.
How to protect your business from Facebook updates, algorithms and new newsfeeds
Right now on Facebook there is panic about the launch of a second newsfeed, with the aim of that newsfeed being to remove all business related updates from the main newsfeed unless you’re paying for advertising.
Of course, there’s hysteria as a result, because a lot of people rely on Facebook to promote their businesses, to sell their products, get more clients and make more money.
Facebook has come out since that original announcement and informed us that the trial they’re doing with this second newsfeed, called the ‘Explore newsfeed,’ is actually only being rolled out in six countries right now.
They say that don’t have the intention to spread it further, they don’t intend to roll it out in other countries.
But here’s the thing, if you went, “OMG, Facebook can’t do that!” or you’re very reliant on Facebook, this is a great reminder to update your social media strategies and to diversify your marketing in general.
There are no guarantees in business.
Marketing strategies change.
Marketing platforms change.
Look how our reach on Facebook has gone from the majority of our followers and fans seeing each update a few years ago, to maybe 1% now depending on the type of post you’re using.
Things change, and you need to safeguard your business against these changes by having a level of diversity in your marketing.
How to safeguard your business against Facebook changes
Don’t be reliant on social media only. Use it wisely.
Don’t assume that what’s working right now is going to exist forever.
Facebook is not rolling the additional newsfeed out to all countries right now, but that’s not to say they won’t in the future.
They could.
They’re a business, just the same as we own businesses, so they’ve got to do what’s in the best interest of their business.
Don’t assume you have to pay to play
But don’t assume that that means that you have to pay for ads to be able to grow your business, get more clients, make more sales, make more money.
You definitely don’t have to, and that’s awesome.
How lucky are we to live in a world where there are a lot of strategies that we can use for our businesses that don’t cost us a single cent?
We’ve got access and visibility to our audiences now and we’re not reliant on things like television advertising or newspaper advertising. They tend to be very expensive, but also are not targeted, so it’s a very spray and pray approach to getting your message out there.
Strategies that worked in the past may not work now
Every business is slightly different so what works for you could be different to what works for me but you’ve also got to ask yourself if your strategies still relevant?
We’re nearly at the end of 2017. Do you need to update what you’re doing?
For example, a few years ago guest blogging was a huge performer, it got great results in terms of list growth for business owners. Do that today and it’s unlikely to have much of an impact. It’s not likely to get the results it once would have for you, and that’s okay.
Once upon a time, telesummits were huge. I remember using Instant Teleseminar, which was literally me talking over slides. Now yes, webinars have some relation to that, but with webinars you can also see the host, like you can see me now.
Using Facebook Live you can interact with me, you can see me, you can see my body language and my enthusiasm for my topic. You didn’t get that ability with teleseminars, so they’re not as effective. They were cutting edge once upon a time, but they’re not so much now.
Try out a new marketing strategy. Trial it for three months, go all in. See what sort of results you get from it, and then ask yourself, is this working?
Is this performing well?
Should I continue this?
Or do I find something new?
Strategies working now and that will get clients in 2018
Facebook Live
One of the things my clients and I have used really successfully to get more clients, get more sales, and grow my business generally is Facebook Live.
Now I’ve been on Facebook since 2008, a long time. Text and image updates aren’t working as well as they once did.
Meanwhile, Facebook is heavily advocating for us to go live so they’re actually giving greater organic reach to live broadcasts. They believe the future of online is video and live broadcasting, so they’re prepared to reward you for using it.
If your update is a Facebook Live it is going to perform so much better than any other type of update.
Definitely embrace this.
It’s free, it’s quick and your potential clients get to see the real you.
You can’t pretend to be something you’re not, because the viewer can see straight through it but the flip side is that you can build know, like and trust very quickly: perfect for getting more sales.
I’ve even created a program, FB Live to Thrive, that teaches my clients exactly how to go live, what structure to use to generate sales, how to promote it to maximise audiences and how to repurpose the content so you’re working smarter, not harder.
Just remember you don’t own your Facebook account, so it’s really important that you move viewers across to your email list.
That way, you can most the most of live now but if Facebook does roll out the Explore newsfeed to the whole world you’ve still got an effective way to communicate.
Sell From Stage
Just as you can speak one-to-many with Facebook Live, speaking to groups of your ideal clients offline will increase your sales and grow your business.
Consider where your target audience gathers and pitch for the opportunity to present to the group. For example, over the past 12 months I’ve spoken at local government sponsored events, to businesswomen’s groups and at private workshops. Each opportunity has generated sales for Better Business Better Life.
Speaking face to face means you’ve got on- and offline strategies for building your business.
Email Marketing
Research shows that on average, for every dollar invested in email marketing, you get a return of $43.
Imagine the bank giving you interest like that on your money.
#nevergonnahappen
Just as importantly, you own your email subscriber list unlike your social media accounts, which are owned by the platforms themselves. If one of your social media accounts gets deleted, you can still keep in contact with your potential clients.
The beauty of email is when you send an email it stays in the inbox until the recipient sees it.
Your subscriber has to make a choice. They might choose to delete your email, a percentage will every single time. Some people will unsubscribe each time but they at least see it before they make that decision.
#yoursubjectlinecounts
Your subject line is designed to get the subscriber to open your email. Many will read your message and act on your recommendations. On social media most of your posts will never be seen by the intended audience.
Email marketing is a great opportunity to connect with your audience. After all, what’s the first thing we do when we wake up?
We go on Facebook and then we check our email. We’re in our inboxes all the time.
Collaborations
The other strategy that works incredibly well for my clients and I are collaborations.
It’s so much fun teaming up with other business owners, both online and offline, to help our communities.
Collaborations enable us to deliver the best possible information, the best possible strategies, and the best possible support for our followers. It also means we can grow our respective email lists and again, we can make more sales, we can get more clients, we can make more money.
Embrace collaboration over competition.
I’ve paired up with people that traditionally would have been seen as my competition.
For example, I’ve collaborated with Marissa Roberts who owns Beautifully Organised Business and Beautifully Organised. Marissa teaches a strategy for structuring your social media posts that works incredibly well to generate sales. I teach you how to use Facebook Live to generate sales and get more clients in your business.
They’re very closely related topics, but different techniques. Theoretically we could be competition, but we’ve paired up on a webinar, demonstrated our respective expertise and had great success in gaining new clients.
We gave more value by pairing up together. One plus one in this case probably equals three or four.
You can also use collaboration for affiliate income.
For example, I’m a huge fan of Denise Duffield-Thomas and her Money Bootcamp. I’ve been a student for probably four years now, it’s quite a while. Each year when she launches Money Bootcamp, because I truly believe in it, I promote the fact that it’s launching, and I am an affiliate.
This year I interviewed Denise on a Facebook Live and had affiliate sales as a result of that interview. It’s another way collaboration, this time in the form of affiliate marketing, has worked really well to grow my business and to safeguard against any changes in social media platforms.
If it hadn’t have been the Facebook Live interview, I could have done an email promotion to my list about Denise’s offer. In this case I did both.
Do you see how that works? Do you see why it’s important to have a selection of promotional strategies that you’re using and implementing?
Now I’m not saying to have 10 strategies. You’ll never manage to coordinate them all and do them all well but it is really, really important to not be reliant on one platform or one strategy.
Have that two, or three strategies that work well and update them as things change online and offline.
Take Action Today
1. Ask yourself, what are the two or three marketing strategies that are working best for your business right now?
Work out what they are and actually measure them. Don’t assume you know what is bringing you clients.
2. Ask yourself, do I need to update one or all of my marketing strategies?
If Facebook is not giving you the results that it once did and you haven’t embraced Facebook Live yet, now’s the time to do it.
If you’re really nervous about going live, check out this post on how to overcome that fear.
P.S. On Friday I’ve got a really special announcement that I can’t wait to share with you.
If you’re not already in Profit Rocket Entrepreneurs Facebook group or on my email list, be sure to sign up, so you’re first to hear about what’s going on.