As a die-hard downtown promotions girl, it's hard for me to talk about downtowns using Facebook without mentioning events and promotions. But so many downtowners use social media exclusively for this purpose without exploring the vast opportunities that a Facebook Page provides. It connects you instantly with people who choose to "like" your downtown. Are you maximizing your fan base?
Here are a few of my favorite ideas:
Business Recruitment: Ask people what new businesses they would like to see open in your downtown. It shows that you are interested in their input, plus it allows you do to a little bit of amateur market research. With so many people interested in starting a small business in their own community, you might be surprised by the response you receive.
Business Retention: Many of your businesses are on Facebook, so why not help to get the word out? Feature a daily link to a downtown business Facebook page. Encourage your businesses to do the same by featuring their fellow merchants. Ask them to post downtown events and make sure they tag your downtown page in their posts.
Fundraising: The goal of any successful fundraising campaign is to raise maximum funds with minimal overhead costs. Facebook is a great platform for this effort because it raises awareness of your fundraising goals to a targeted audience beyond what traditional media outlets can provide. And did I mention it’s free?
In Case of Emergency: Ever have an event sponsor drop out at the last minute? What about a new project that needs more volunteers than you originally anticipated? Last year we lost a presenting sponsor two weeks before an event. We posted our plight on Facebook and landed a new sponsor within 24 hours. Does that happen all the time? Maybe not, but it is an easy and efficient way to put out a call to action.
Make The Ordinary Extraordinary: Some things that happen downtown may be just routine to you, but not to your fans. Try posting photos of those everyday activities. Photos of spring flowers being planted, tents going up for an event or a new business under construction are all ideal ways to show that there is always something new happening in your downtown.
The possibilities that a Facebook Page can provide are endless. Promotions and events are key, but are far from the only uses for Facebook. Not sure where to start? Create a post asking people what they want to see on your page. This will not only confirm what they do like, but provide you with a road map to continue creating engaging content that will benefit your downtown for years to come.
Want more? Seek The Geek on Facebook!
No comments:
Post a Comment