I understand the getting fans thing but is it just a numbers game for the sake of saying you have XX fans? Is it turning into sales? I would think it would work great for service promos more than sales.
Here's a real life story. I recently became Facebook Friends with a person I went to high school with (many moons ago). Recently, she helped launch a company called Randy's Granola. They use Facebook as a major marketing source, and she politely asked her 500+ friends to be Fans of the company. Now, I'm not a huge granola fan, but I wanted to support my old friend, so I gladly became a fan of Randy's Granola. When they send updates I read them, but rarely do I pay them more than a passing glance.
Last week my wife and I were at a local market, and what do I see on the shelves? You guessed it, Randy's Granola! I said to my wife, "Hey, I went to high-school with one of the people who make this". Next thing you know, we are throwing a couple of bags and in the shopping basket. We get home, try it out, and wouldn't you know, it's really good! We'll make it a point to keep it on hand, and recommend it to our friends & family. You can safely say that without Facebook, I never would have found, tried or liked Randy's Granola.
Here's how it applies to me, and what I do. I proudly work for a Hyundai dealer, and am passionate about their vehicles and how the company operates. Even though Hyundai has made huge strides nationally, here in Michigan, the impact hasn't been quite as significant. There's still a ton of Big 3 loyalty around and our volume in the state pales in comparison to just about every other major car market in the US. If the customers aren't finding us, we need to find them. That's where Facebook comes in.
When we set up our Facebook page, we all asked our FB Friends to be our Fans. It's been my experience that your friends are more than happy to support whatever business you may be involved in. Since the invites went out, I've personally already heard from multiple Friends inquiring about Hyundai and being interested when it's time for them to get their next car. The majority of them said that they never even thought of Hyundai, much in the same way I never paid attention to Granola, but now that they know what I do, they are adding me to their list of brands to shop.
The majority of our Fans are our friends, our family and our current customers, which we know are the warmest of warm leads. Why wouldn't you put time and effort into maintaining the most important people in your pipeline? If you cultivate your community, the sales will come. Facebook and Social Media in general isn't about 'Instant Gratification' IMO. It's about engaging your community and laying a foundation that can help establish your store's character & integrity.
