Are You Missing Out On The Magical Promotional Powers Of Facebook Check In?
Here’s how you can leverage Facebook Check In, and gain more new customers than you thought possible…
Facebook Check In: you have probably heard about it, but not included it in your business.
Once you’re done reading this article, that will change.
Here’s what Facebook Check In can do for you:
- Produces results the very first day. Results = More Sales.
- No need to spend money on ads, because this works better.
- Puts word-of-mouth marketing on digital steroids.
- Your competitors will be jealous, and have no idea how you’re getting all that new business! (The envy is a nice little bonus.)
What is Facebook Check In?
Facebook Check In is a way for your customers to share their experience at your business. It’s a powerful, free endorsement.
Here’s how it works:
Your customer enters your store. Logs into Facebook, starts to enter a status update and chooses Check In, or finds your business page. They Check In, and most likely says something complimentary about your business. Then the magic happens.
This is super cool.
The Magical Promotional Powers Of Facebook Check In
This Check-in sets off a chain reaction.
First, Facebook will share that Check In post with your customer’s friends (or public, if they choose that setting).
Some of those friends will LIKE the post.
Some will Comment on the post.
Some will Share the post.
And now many of the friends of your customer’s friends have seen the post…endorsing your business to potentially thousands of people.
Let me drop some knowledge on you. Fact: 70% of Facebook users consider a Check In to be the equivalent of a personal recommendation.
But wait, it gets better…
Facebook likes showing fresh content. Check Ins will push your business to the top of Facebook’s search results. This can include hashtags, photos, and viral posts. Constant Check Ins will keep your business at the top of Facebook Search. I told you this was super cool, didn’t I?
Why do you want to be at the top of Facebook search?
Facebook is the third largest search engine on the internet, with 1.5 to 2 BILLION daily searches. Google is #1, and Youtube is #2.
FYI, just to give you an idea: Bing and Yahoo combined aren’t even close at #4, with 197 million searches a day (1/10th the number of daily Facebook searches).
Facebook search is more credible because it is based on people’s genuine experiences with a business—both positive and negative. Readers evaluate and trust these personal recommendations—and act on them.
Brand Awareness is key. Perhaps someone was spending time on Facebook and craving a donut…any donut. They saw the post (photos below) in their stream. Now, their craving has a photo, a personal recommendation, and a clear path to achieve donut bliss. Is your mind blown? My mind is blown.
But please, keep reading.
Take a look at these Facebook Check Ins:
Within a day, 30 people liked the post, 9 comments, 1 share. The Check In post went out to her 2,876 friends AND public. What does public mean? Anyone searching that subject matter, hashtag, or business will see that Check In. Once someone likes, comments, or shares a post, it is also shown to their friends. It’s virality at its simplest.
Within a few hours, this post had 23 likes and 25 comments (Prince lends himself quite well to Gifs).
Really Important Note: this is just one person. Imagine what happens when more people Check In…
Another Note: first, your business should activate the ability to Check In. It’s very simple!
My Three Simple Steps: Best Practices for Optimizing Facebook Check-in
1. Give someone a reason to Check In
Besides the oversharers, who won’t need an inducement to Check In (you don’t even have to ask them), most people need a reason to Check In.
The best reason for customers to Check In is an offer. The offer needs to be enticing enough for the customer to go through the trouble of pulling out their phone and spending time doing it; ideally, it is also such an attractive enticement that when a friend sees the offer, they would go to your store to also take advantage of it. This ensures a viral effect…all based on personal recommendations.
“This is how you make
Check Ins go viral:
turning one customer
into several.”
Example: a mechanic normally charges $39 for an oil change, but offers a $19 oil change special just for people that do a Facebook Check In. What a deal— and a great reason for someone that saw this post on Facebook to come into their shop. The oil change could lead to tire rotation, fluid change, tune-up, etc. Ask me how I know this.
Another Example: A donut shop offers a free cup of coffee with every donut purchase. Nothing tastes as good as those two things together. They probably will buy a couple extra donuts to go, or tag a friend to come join them.
The only thing better than getting a great deal (especially if it is unexpected) is bragging to your friends about the great deal you just got. And what do your friends want? To get in on that great deal, too!
2. Tell your customer how to Check In
The customer goes to Facebook, either at the top of their stream or to their profile.
They click CREATE POST and then click the red Check In icon.
Your location will pop up, and they can choose it!
3. Ask them to put in hashtag(s) and a photo
This is, perhaps, the key to viral success, and super duper important to emphasize. On your sign (oh, yeah, you should definitely have a sign) with the Check In offer, ask them to include the hashtags (no more than 2) that you would like to be found for, to include a photo, and perhaps include some text.
Why ask them to include a photo? This is the second-highest search result for the search phrase/keyword.
This will help get you ranked highly not once, but twice in Facebook’s search results. Remember, 1.5-2 Billion (with a “b”) searches a month. It’s a Big Deal.
Have them show you their Check In, and then thank them and fulfill the offer.
Bonus Strategy #1: Like the customer’s Check In post, and tag them. This has the double benefit of showing your customer your appreciation for Checking-In. And it lets your fans know that others are saying great things about you. It’s okay to brag a little.
Bonus Strategy #2: Get your employees to Check In regularly. It will help to keep your business at the top of Facebook’s search.
Here are some Check In examples your employees can steal…
Car Dealership: The salespeople can Check In when the new models arrive. Take a picture of one of the new cars and say, “This beauty is looking for a new owner.”
Bakery: The cashier could take a picture of cinnamon rolls that just came out of the oven and say, “These just came out of the oven and smell as good as they look…and taste even better.”
Gym: Take a picture of a personal trainer leading a new class. The post could say, “Are you up for our new yoga aerobics class?” Yoga Aerobics?!$%? That would also get people scratching their heads. 😉
Facebook Check Ins: Immediate & Long-Term Benefits
The cumulative effect of Facebook Check Ins is where it’s real marketing superpowers lie.
What do you think happens when someone constantly sees other people talking positively about your business? Probably one of your favorite recurring dreams?
Most business owners have told me that word-of-mouth brings them more business than anything else.
Facebook Check Ins, done right, is word-of-mouth marketing on digital steroids.
Don’t make the mistake that this is just for restaurants and donut shops (although we do love donuts). With just a little creativity, every small local business with a storefront can benefit from doing this.
We teach this stuff. I’ve seen it in action, and witnessed the results firsthand. It flat-out works.
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