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Are you spending a lot of time, money & energy trying to build your Facebook community?
Don’t get me wrong, it feels great to be LIKED. My husband and I recently celebrated a big milestone of 40,000 LIKES on The Sun Today Facebook Page (and less than a week later, it’s up to over 43,000!) Each and every LIKE feels great because it’s our hobby to share about the sun and solar weather. We love looking up to see where people are from in the world and translate comments written in other languages.
Connecting to people with a shared interest is amazing!! So when Entrepreneurs and they tell they have a goal of a lot of LIKES on Facebook, I understand why.
But I was prompted to write this blog post because many people with a goal to get a lot of LIKES are struggling to make a profit. I see many Entrepreneurs that need CASH FLOW NOT LIKES. If you can relate, think about what I’m saying.
If you are spending valuable time, money & energy on your Facebook Page without seeing a return on investment, let’s simplify your strategy and get your cash flow moving.
Are you more like Entrepreneur A or B?
Entrepreneur A: You’ve built a community!
You’ve spent a lot of time AND MONEY on Facebook training or Facebook paid advertising and it’s working! You have LIKES!
Entrepreneur B: You are trying to build your community!
You’ve seen what other people are doing and you want it, too. So you’ve signed up for training that will tell you all of the secrets on how to get new LIKES.
The result of this may be hundreds or thousands of LIKES, but it won’t grow your business if you don’t have an increase in sales!
Shift from wanting LIKES to a successful business
1. Don’t assume that a popular brand = a profitable brand.
Many Entrepreneurs assume that Facebook popularity will easily translate into a thriving business. But sometimes popular brands are struggling behind the scenes. They desperately need to kick-start their cash flow. They secretly are completely overwhelmed. They are maxed out from all of the social networking they are doing to grow their business. They keep adding LIKES, but no profits. The cycle continues.
2. Use Facebook as part of your MARKETING plan, not as your entire BUSINESS plan.
Your business plan is what will create profits. Marketing is just a way to reach out, find your ideal client and invite them to have a sales conversation with you. Facebook is just one way to do that.
Facebook is fantastic, because it builds your KNOW, LIKE & TRUST factor. But this is pointless if it doesn’t flow back into a website that will be selling for you, 24/7. Successful Facebook Pages will struggle to convert sales without linking back to a website with a complete sales funnel setup:
- Clear description of an ideal client
- Compelling reasons they should take action
- Flow into a sales conversation
3. Rethink your priorities, do you need LIKES or to find your ideal client?
While working with one of my clients, she said, “I have over 5000 likes, but I’m not sure what percentage—if any—are my ideal client.” This was a breakthrough moment for her, and I’m very happy she realized this! The first time we did her long-term goals, the purpose was to create a very large network, so she could have a big impact. She thought that a broad reach was the only way to impact many people’s lives.
But there’s another way to look at impact, and that’s the ripple effect. She has gotten a lot of clarity on her ideal client (I actually got tears in my eyes when I read her new ideal client profile!) She is going to have tremendous impact by helping this specific market. Her impact will be measured not by Facebook LIKES, but like stones being thrown into a pond… the ripples will fan out touch many lives.
She’s also realized that while she is a super woman, she’s not Superwoman, and there are limits on her time, money & energy. She just can’t do everything. Like the next step says, she has to prioritize.
4. If you can’t do it all, choose what your top priority is:
- Get more Facebook LIKES which may or may not be your ideal client
- Focus on connecting with the people that will connect you to your ideal clients—and find them in the fastest, easiest way.
More than likely, your best connections are going to be with people that you already have a relationship with OUTSIDE of Facebook. If you need to choose the fastest way to meet your ideal client, I advise you to get connected with people you already know. They may LIKE your Page, but you can also reach out to them with a phone call or email.
Facebook MAY be the right choice for you, but it may not. Just make an educated decision to simplify your marketing plan, and choose the fastest route to income.
Let go of “needing” a huge community. You may have fewer LIKES, but if you have more ideal clients AND an increase in profits, that’s success!
Hello Service-Based Entrepreneur,
I know it’s easy to get overwhelmed by reading blog posts full of ideas, tactics & tools. Be honest...
- How frustrated will you be trying to implement this on your own?
- How much time will you waste if it's not your next best step?
- Did you just take the time to read this but you won't make any changes?
- Or are you ready to take a small next step to build your brand?
Get clarity & your next step forward!
I'm here to help you with your marketing for the new normal & beyond. Let's talk about your options to work with me on a FREE 30-min call.
To your success,
Marketing Strategist & Designer
I offer a blend of 30+ years of expertise in marketing, websites, brand identity, strategy, tech solutions, and more. I work with service-based entrepreneurs to start & grow their brands. I use a practical and flexible approach to adjust to changes in your business & life. Toolkits & done-with-you planning create your strategy. Then add on other services for a custom solution.
