Here is the truth behind using “contests, quizzes & sweepstakes” on your Facebook page.
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- Let’s address how most agents are being told to use their pages . . .
For real estate agents, figuring out how to generate leads via their Facebook pages is not an easy task. Actually, I think “overwhelming” might be the right word here.
In reality, real estate agents just don’t have a solid idea of how to use their Facebook pages. Is it an extension of their website? Is it in place of a website? Is it a place to build a community, a following? Is it a brochure? Is it a place to advertise? Is it another “branding” or “name recognition” place?
Well, it’s none of those. And, it’s all of those.
Huh?
This is the part that is insanely confusing. Our Facebook pages are multifaceted. They are not just one thing. They don’t just serve a single purpose. They don’t have a single function. However, they do have their strengths. There are a couple of ways pages are best used and quite frankly, most agents aren’t even bothering to tap that aspect of their pages!
Let’s address how most agents are being told to use their pages . . .
Real estate agents are being led to believe that contests, quizzes, sweepstakes, etc. are the “comprehensive tool” they need to best use their Facebook pages. That’s it’s all about getting people to like, comment or share their status updates.
It’s . A . Lie .
A lie focused on selling real estate agents products and services that are ineffective. Products and services that do nothing but create noise and very few, if any, leads.
The problem with contests, quizzes and sweepstakes? They “can” generate noise. Lots of it. And by noise, I mean PERCEIVED activity on your Facebook page. PERCEIVED.
The reality? It’s not about the “engagement” on your Facebook page. Not . At . All .
In fact, if you are focusing on how many likes and comments you are getting, you are focused on the WRONG thing.
A good Facebook page pulls people who are most likely to use your services into your capture points. After they are in your capture, you are nurturing them through the process via email, phone, mail or any other method of “touching” the prospect.
A good Facebook page doesn’t focus on getting anyone and everyone to enter a contest – doesn’t focus on getting people to “like” a status update (in fact, pages that do this are now being penalized by FB and you absolutely don’t want to give FB another reason to keep you out of a users News Feed!) – doesn’t focus on offering lame sweepstakes that is just another avenue to pull in more untargeted leads.
A good Facebook page uses multiple methods to bring in likes and multiple methods to convert those likes into an email database. A good Facebook page doesn’t focus on “on page” engagement. A good Facebook page gives leads and prospects valuable, insightful, usable content and resources. A good Facebook page meets a need. A good Facebook page solves a problem. Multiple problems.
Don’t get caught up in the sales pitch of “you need a more comprehensive tool to help you engage Facebook prospects through contests, quizzes, sweepstakes, etc.” It’s sales hype.
So, if it’s sales hype, what is it you need?
You need a strategy – one that focused on getting targeted likes and turns those targeted likes into leads.
- Your strategy should include a multifaceted layer of different types of Facebook page ads targeted to non-fans, fans, your email database, look-a-like audiences and more.
- It should encompass extensive calls-to-action via multiple methods including on-page posts, “dark” posts, ads, headers, profile photos and more.
- It should employ a strongly balanced method of status updates that maximize Facebook’s “Last Actor” and “Story Bump” algorithm focal points, and pull people to click through to your capture points.
- You need a system in place, one that has a strong conversion ability. Without the back-end system in place, your front line Facebook lead generating efforts are seriously handicapped.
You don’t need noise.
- Contests & Sweepstakes that provide no value to your fans and future fans. If it’s stuck on Facebook, it’ll stay on Facebook. Get your prospects off Facebook.
- Status updates that have zero relevancy to your fans when it comes to their focus on the homes and lifestyle of the area you serve.
- Your MLS/IDX on your Facebook page. You should be driving traffic FROM Facebook into your IDX on your website, which by the way, you should be requiring registration on.
You need time. When you decide to implement a solid strategy, you’ve got to give that strategy time. Time to test it in your market. Time to tweak it.
And then, you’ve got to stay on top of it. Facebook changes almost daily. You need to make sure that the strategy you implement is flexible. That it adapts as the changes happen.
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