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| Some of Facebook's icons. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
In our recent survey of vacation rental owners and managers about their online marketing in 2013, many said social media and email would be a major focus. While paid and free listing sites were Nos. 1 and 2 respectively, social media and email came in at 3rd and 4th in importance, well ahead of organic and paid search.
This
makes some sense. Paid search is expensive. Organic search is a constant battle
against competitors and Google algorithm changes. Facebook and other social
media, on the other hand, are free unless you advertise, and email's monetary
costs usually consist of only what you pay to your email service provider,
which in most cases is a relatively small amount.
But
both social media and email take up your most valuable resource--your time.
Every hour you spend on them is an hour you could have spent prospecting more
profitably, so you need to make both count.
Facebook’s
a hot button right now for the vast majority of people, so for brevity’s sake,
we’ll focus on it rather than try to address other social media outlets, such
as LinkedIn, Pintrest or Twitter (we’ll save those for a future blog post). Here
are five tips for making sure your Facebook and email efforts are coordinated,
so you can make the most of your time.
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| Where is everybody? In the social media pool! It's time you dove into Facebook too. |
2. Develop Facebook only
offers. Then publicize them via email.
People need to find value in your Facebook page and your emails. You need to
give them a reason to visit Facebook and open your emails. Run sweepstakes and
contests on Facebook, but make sure everyone on your mailing list knows about
them. Encourage sweeps and contest participants to sign up for your emails so
they don't miss deals or freebies.
3. Post your emails to
Facebook. This can be
as easy as posting the link to your email on your Facebook page. Many email
service providers allow you to do this by simply checking a box when you
schedule your email. Or, you can post elements of your email on your Facebook
and direct customers back to your page. If you have a special offer featured in
your email, you can pull it out of your email and post it on your Facebook
page. The same goes for an article on your blog, new property, or new amenity.
4. Keep your branding
consistent. Make sure
that your logo is displayed on your Facebook page within the Profile and/or
Cover images. One problem with the Profile image on Facebook is that the size
allotted is a rectangle oriented vertically. This means that logos that are
rectangles oriented horizontally don't fit too well in the space allotted. You
might have to pull a recognizable element out of your logo and use it as your
profile picture. Don't just upload anything--it's worth engaging a freelance
designer to help you get your Facebook Profile image right. The same goes for
your Facebook Cover image--it should be consistent with your website. Then,
make sure your emails are using the same or similar images and logos.
5. Coordinate your
Facebook, website and email content.
If you add new properties to your site, announce them in Facebook and in email.
Blog posts you want noticed can be pinned to the top of your Facebook page and
distributed via email. Content on your site should include Like Us links and
email sign ups. It’s best to create at least the outline of a content marketing
calendar. Have a rough idea every week or month of what it is you want to
accomplish. This will save you time and keep your efforts focused.
The
most important thing to remember is that Facebook and email should work
together with your website and blog to create a synergistic experience for the
customer. They may find you on Facebook, but you want them to remember you when
they open their email inbox or see your URL on a search results page. A holistic
approach to your marketing is how you stay top of mind no matter how your
customers find you.
