Looking for the ultimate Facebook post to promote your business? Aren’t we all? Think about what that post would include. The perfect Facebook promotional post would include your location, ratings, people who have been there and perhaps even photos. What if we told you that you can do just that and for free? That’s right! FREE! Facebook Check-Ins do just that for your business and as a business owner, it’s one of the most valuable forms of online exposure.
Facebook Check-Ins provide valuable information about your business that a potential customer would look for. If a check-in is seen on a mobile device, the user can even click on the map to bring up directions! But why should you ask your customers to check-in on Facebook? Simply put, each Facebook Check-In serves as a personal referral from one friend to another. Every time a customer checks in, they are endorsing your business. Think about this! People don’t always share information about place unless they think their friends will be interested.
Aside from personal endorsements, Facebook Check-Ins engage customers with your business. What do we mean exactly? Facebook will automatically highlight photos of friends who have been to your location, reviews they’ve made and even photos from your Facebook page. Facebook will also give you the opportunity to promote a Facebook-exclusive offer. Perhaps you could offer a discount to first-time visitors or promote an upcoming sale.
One of the most valuable features of the Facebook Check-In is impressions (the number of times your post is seen by a person in their newsfeed). We mentioned earlier that when someone checks-in, they are recommending your business to their Facebook friends. Some of those customers checking in on Facebook have hundreds, even THOUSANDS of Facebook friends making this among the most powerful of ways to encourage word-of-mouth referrals.
You’re probably asking yourself how to get people to start checking-in? You can start by simply asking. Train your staff to encourage check-ins from those who are in your business. Offer an incentive for check-ins. Try a “Check-In for a Chance to Win” contest! Enter everyone who checks-in for a chance to win a monthly prize! Post signage around your store. Post reminders on your Facebook page. The possibilities are endless! The question is, what is your plan to start getting those check-ins?
Do you have a personal success story from the use of Facebook Check-Ins? We want to hear from you!
Rethink out of the Box 