Sisarina's Blog

Creating Customers Out Of Facebook Fans

Most brands using Facebook to advertise would love to convert every one of their fans into customers. But, even in the best-case scenario, a very small percentage of a brand’s Facebook fans make their way through the entire marketing funnel to purchase on the narrow end.

However, depending on how many fans you have, you can convert many of them into customers, increasing your bottom line and keeping your business thriving and your brand popular. Here’s how:

7 Tips for Making Customers out of Fans

1. Solve the Problem

Unless you’ve done something to attract fans who’re not really interested in your brand, say, by running a sweepstakes where people could win an iPad, they are fans because they like what you do.

Your fans have a problem; they believe you may provide the solution. Make sure to keep their problem at the forefront of your mind when crafting your Facebook posts.

2. Engage Directly

Developing engaging material is one thing, but converting fans into customers goes beyond good engagement. You have to engage with people directly on their level. Focus on what’s being shared and what’s trending and incorporate your message into these materials.

3. Play the Social Game

A social network requires that you play to the social context of the crowd. This means that you have to be an active participant in the social experience. Your brand doesn’t stand above anyone: it must blend in to gain trust and, ultimately, customers.

4. Respond Personally

Responding personally to someone’s message shows a direct involvement. Brands like Taco Bell and Pizza Hut do this regularly with fans on Facebook and Twitter. A fan might post that they’re thinking about eating Taco Bell, and the brand personally responds, urging them to make that decision. It’s something small on the grand scale, but for that fan, it’s a memorable moment. It’s a moment that’s likely to turn a fan into a customer.

5. Extol Your Virtues

If you find that you have a few fans who aren’t turning into customers, don’t scrap your approach! You’re obviously doing something right since you have fans. Just keep at it. Be sure to speak highly of your brand while being careful not to get too self-promotional with it. Offer up a product demonstration or review, or find some satisfied customers to testify to your brand.

6. Direct Your Traffic Flow

One of the biggest reasons you may find that fans aren’t becoming customers is that you’re not offering them clear enough direction. Don’t sell your product on Facebook; use it to build up a fan base and be sure to direct those fans to your main site.

7. Give Up More for Less

Even if you’re using social media ads to gain new followers, you still need to add value in your posts. You can do so monetarily with deals and discounts, free products, loyalty rewards, and other bonuses. However, value doesn’t have to be in monetary terms. In fact, value on Facebook can be as simple as cool photos or videos, addictive games and other form of content. Some of the biggest branding success stories on Facebook are more about great content and less about vouchers.

Unfortunately, you’re never going to convert every fan into a customer. The most you can hope for is to make all of your fans entertain the idea of buying from you. So remember to keep people engaged, offer them high value for their money, and always work to solve the problems of your fan base.

Craig Robinson is a freelance writer from Qwaya, a Facebook ad campaign manager. He writes different topics about social media strategies and loves to explore new information about it. He's also an active participant in online communities and social media forums.

11 Realizations at Sisarina HQ

A Note from Sisarina's Web Developer

I’ve been working with Sisarina for the better part of going on 5 years now. Now that I’m officially full-time, I think it’s important for me to document how I got here and my initial findings as I come on board as a Sisarinite. Here are some of the things I’ve learned the week I've spent at Sisarina HQ with my new family.

1. This isn’t a job, it’s a brand
It might sound cliché coming from the company whose motto is “Get Branded” and whose CEO decided to go coast to coast and actually Live Her Brand for a period of time last year but it’s true… this isn’t just a job. And while it’s true that this is a career move for me it’s definitely more than that. I said, “yeah, I know” to Melanie a dozen times over the years about this now realized eventuality, but now I get it.

2. Macs aren’t all bad
I’m a PC guy, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. I also have an Android tablet and phone, and I love them, and I doubt I'll ever switch. However, I was handed a powerful MacBook Pro for work and that’s what I’ve used all week and I can honestly say, it’s not all terrible. I was able to find programs that work similar if not better than my PCs (not ALL better mind you). Photoshop is leaps and bounds better particularly. Even though I’ve changed the mouse scroll and a lot of the keyboard shortcuts (GOODBYE COMMAND KEY!) to my liking I can deal with it, at least until I get home.

3. Teresa is awesome
My arrival marks the departure of “Damomma” Teresa. The work she did specifically for me over the last few years was remarkable and I’m sure just as beneficial for others. After one day of not having her as “my filter,” I miss her already.

4. I hate not driving
I drive myself everywhere. Family trips? I’m the captain of the Suzuki boat. For 3 years I commuted for 80 miles roundtrip every day, only to leave that job for a year to commute 120 miles every day. My most recent job that I left was 40 miles round trip every day. While I appreciate working from home and saving all that gas money, after riding the DC Metro for a now half week, I miss my car.

5. I’m not going to miss Bethesda, but I will miss the people
Bethesda is nice, don’t get me wrong. But I come from a town in Western New York where I could be j-walking halfway up the busiest street, stop to tie my shoe, and then get to the other side of the street before any traffic showed up. I could do without all the hustle and bustle but, truth be told, I really like meeting the few clients who just randomly stroll through the door. It’s nice being there and shouting across the room at Jason without having to instant message him and wonder where the heck we went. He was just there 2 seconds ago!

6. I miss my keyboard
My keyboard is nice. I bought it when it was $100. It’s a gaming keyboard that I’ve used to write almost every line of code for the last three years since I got it. It even lights up when I’m in the dark so I don’t have to turn on the light. It’s big, has big clacky buttons and is encrusted with all sorts of, we’ll say, “matter.” But it’s become an extension of my hands. My fingers know where the buttons are, and is missing the muscle memory of hitting the CTRL key.

7. Jason likes coffee
More than one man probably should.

8. I don’t miss the bachelor life
I’m staying with a friend at Andrews AFB for the week with my best childhood friend. We see each other often, at least every few weeks. He’s married but his wife lives back home in Western New York during the college times, so he’s here by himself. When I get “home” we eat, chat about our day, and have a bit of fun, but I miss my family. I can Skype with my wife and daughter, but it’s not the same as being home. While I appreciate the time away, a week is a long time to be 200+ miles away from home. It’s 8:30pm and I’m actually working because I want to. It might not continue as much once I get home but I don’t hate it. But I’m looking forward to seeing my girls soon.

9. The Sisarina girls are loud, but I can be louder
I had the pleasure of sharing the company of my new comrades Tuesday night for drinks and dinner. While I don’t necessarily fit into this locale, I do find myself fitting in to my new family. I’ve been pretty reserved for the most part focusing on work, but you will see. You will see...

10. 9 to 5? More like 9:30 to 1:20, then 2:00 'til done
One thing that I hope to write more about and try to teach not only those I work with, but the general populous is that my work is not fluid. I can’t say “that will take 4 hours,” do 2 of it Monday and the rest on Tuesday. Being interrupted takes its toll on me. It interrupts my thought process, makes me forget where I was or what I was doing. That 4 hours can turn into 6 real fast.

11. Silence is golden
I got two times the work done by myself as I do here at HQ. My line of work is different from others. Sure, I collaborate, and get involved, but when the specs are all written and the goal is in sight… it’s go time. If I’m not interrupted, I can get much more accomplished than if I was. Being here in Maryland, interruptions are inevitable, and to a degree, welcome. At home, I can put my status to Do Not Disturb, ignore the IM's and emails, and just get’r’done. I look forward to getting back home so I can get back into my grove with a better understanding of what it will take to get this company where it needs to be. Where I need to be.

Carry on, my wayward son.

This is Lian, and here I go!

I’ve been an intern here at Sisarina since January… wow! Four months goes by so quickly, doesn’t it? In these four months, I’ve really learned a lot about… well, everything! Working can be a great experience. I feel that this has really been the best work experience I’ve received during my college career. The work here has been relevant, social, educational, and fun! The work ethic and work dynamic here at Sisarina is amazing! Happy employees really do mean higher productivity; I’ve experienced this first hand now, and have been able to see how the office environment can really dictate how employees interact with projects and interact with customers.

I’ve also learned that image and style are so important in defining your brand. In my marketing classes, the idea of brand has been repeated so many times. But unless you get your hands on it, it can be a difficult concept to really grasp.

At Sisarina, I’ve learned that it’s not just a company name—it’s your logo, it’s your style, it’s how you dress, it’s how you talk; it’s how people see you.

I found that your profession should be your Inspiration. So, every week on Wednesday morning, the Sisarina gals conduct a #cupofinspiration where they, along with anyone else that wants to drop in, can come and be inspired by each other. It’s genius! What better way to inspire youself than surrounded by other people? And inspiration is so important to keeping creative and keeping productive.

I think what it all boils down to is that what I can take away from this experience is a newly inspired outlook on life. With graduation just around the corner, the Sisarina girls have really shown me what it takes to carry your brand and interact with others. I don’t feel like I have to be worried about starting my working career—I’m just inspired to sell the brand that is me!