Selling online via Facebook Messenger and Facebook Marketplace is popular nowadays. From food, to secondhand items, to groceries and luxury items, it seems that everyone is going on Facebook to do business.
There are plenty of good reasons to do so. Health and safety concerns aside, here in the Philippines, 96% of internet users use Facebook, and 89% use Messenger specifically (remember those friends who have deactivated Facebook but still have Messenger?)
Source: datareportal.com
That's not all. SproutSocial and Pew Research Center's Facebook demographics show that 74% of high-income earners use Facebook, and 1.79 billion people all over the world log into Facebook daily and are considered daily active users (source).
Facebook is simply too big to ignore as a sales channel. Whether you're a seasoned business owner or someone with a side hustle, using Facebook to sell your wares should be an important part of your strategy.
But selling on Facebook can be challenging, since everyone is doing it. There's so much noise and competition that it can be difficult to connect to your target market.
We've got some ideas on how to maximize the effect your Facebook efforts have for your business. If you're trying to sell on Facebook, check out these important tips:
Secret #1 - Get Started on Groups
Facebook Groups can help your business get the eyeballs it needs. If people don't see your business on their Facebook feed, they can't buy from you! Since the ECQ started in March, hyperlocal marketplaces have been vibrant and active--and it continues to be so many months in.
Join some local Facebook Groups and participate and be active. Some groups may simply be marketplace groups, where many post their goods for sale, or people post what items they're looking for. These may be the easiest and lowest-maintenance groups to join, since most interactions will be transaction-based.
That said, don't turn your nose up at more community-driven Facebook groups that limit or even prohibit sale posts. A community atmosphere may benefit your brand, too, if you become well-known in these groups.
Secret #2 - Pictures Paint a Thousand Words
Pictures draw people in! Some people even use photos that aren't connected to their post content, just to attract people's attention--but don't do that for the items you sell. Make sure your photo accurately shows the product you're selling, as opposed to using stock photography.
You don't need to hire a photographer or buy a high-end camera to take photos that will sell your product. A regular phone camera can work, as long as the photos you take showcase your product well: the background isn't too busy, the colors are accurate, and the image isn't blurry.
Secret #3 - Be Responsive
It's important to respond to inquiries for your product as fast as you can. The longer you take to respond to potential customers, the more time they have to look for your competitors' products or get distracted with other things on Facebook.
It might be difficult to keep answering a flood of "hm" comments and private messages, but unresponsive sellers can turn off potential buyers, as they seem less professional or less interested in making a sale.
If you can't be online, look into setting up an Away message on your Facebook Page outside of business hours, or automatically respond to messages using a chatbot so your customers won't have to wait.
Secret #4 - Don't Forget to Follow Through
It's harder to get new customers, than to attract the ones who have already bought from your before. After all, they know you already! There is already a level of trust in your brand, since you've delivered what they wanted to get.
It's time to follow through and turn these one-time buyers into loyal customers. There are many ways to make them feel like a VIP after ordering from you:
- Check with them if they've received their order
- Ask them for feedback on their order
- Give them exclusive promotions if they order again
- Etc.
In the same way, you can also try to check in on people who inquire but don't follow through with an order. If they only got distracted while ordering from you, perhaps they still need the item they were interested in.
If you have a chatbot, setting up automated messages for abandoned orders or promotions is much easier, so make sure you maximize your chatbot!
Secret #5 - Stay Updated
It's important to stay updated when it comes to selling on Facebook. The Marketplace can change from one day to another, so make sure you do your research! Look out for what's selling in your area, to how your competitors are pricing their products, at what Facebook Pages and listings are popular.
Staying updated in the Marketplace can also alert you to possible new products that you can sell. For example, if a particular appliance is popular in Facebook Marketplace, perhaps supplies for that will be popular, too.
The beauty of using Facebook Messenger and Marketplace when selling is that you don't need to invest a lot in order to test out if something will sell. Just give it a try and expand your business later!