By now, you probably got the hint that we highly recommend your dealership having a presence on Facebook. Many feel that searching for a business on Facebook and learning they don’t have a Facebook page, would be like searching for a business on Google and not finding a website: It just shouldn’t happen. As much as you want your business to have a presence on search engines, you should also want to have a presence on Facebook. After all, using Facebook for your business allows for customers to interact with your business in a new, more personal way, and increases the likelihood of a customer making a purchase. In fact, a business’s Facebook fans will purchase 35% more than a typical customer.

But once you’ve created your business page, learning how to build your community is a whole other issue. There are many mistakes a business can make when first starting out on Facebook, but the good news is, many of them can be prevented. Below you will find some of the more common mistakes and how to avoid them.

1. Creating a personal profile instead of a business page. Often times when we start a new partnership with a dealer, we search for their business on Facebook to connect with them. And to our surprise, we find some that have created a personal profile and not a business page. Facebook profiles are meant for people, not businesses. If you look at your page and find “friends” instead of “likes” then you’ve set up a personal profile and not a business page. So why does this matter? As a business page, Facebook offers great opportunities for you to reach more customers and engage with your followers. You won’t get these same benefits with a personal profile. The first image below represents a business page, whereas the second image represents a personal page. We’ve highlighted some things to look for on your own Facebook page to see if you’ve set up your page correctly.

 

2. Ignoring comments, both positive and negative. The point of Facebook is to interact with your fans in a more genuine, human-like way. By ignoring what people are taking the time to say on your page, shows customer that you don’t care. Your page should be a way that people can reach out and let you know when you’ve done well and when you’ve done not so well. Thank people for taking the time to write on your page, and address those that have any questions, comments or concerns. If you are struggling to respond to someone that has left negative feedback, check out our guide, 5 Types of Social Complainers, to get some great tips!

3. Treating Facebook like just another advertising platform. Fans want to connect with you, not feel like they are being sold to. They are looking to develop relationships with your business, and not just looking for your next big offer, sale or piece of inventory. If you look at your Facebook page and find that every other post is promoting your business and inventory, you probably have pretty low engagement. Give customers more than just a sales pitch. Offer something to them that they can’t get anywhere else, such as advice, tips, or news. These things establish value with your dealership and keep fans coming back for more. A good rule of thumb is to post promotional pieces 20% of the time, and educational/entertaining pieces 80% of the time.

4. Posting only during business hours. Much like your website that is open 24-7 to online visitors, Facebook doesn’t close just because your physical location does. People are accessing Facebook at various points throughout the day and week. In fact, TrackMaven found out that posts published after hours (5pm-1am) received 11% more interactions than those published during the day. That same study also found that posts on Sundays got 25% more likes, shares, and comments than Wednesday posts. So test out different posting times and days and see which ones receive the most engagement from your followers.

Facebook, if used the right way, can yield great results for your dealership. Not only will you increase your brand’s exposure, but you will also have the opportunity to capture and retain customers in a whole new way. These mistakes can be deadly though, so be careful! If you feel that you are committing any of these, or just have any questions about Facebook for your business, feel free to reach out to us at marketing@commercialwebservices.com.