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Contacting Facebook users to offer services. Advice needed.

by DaveTaylor
12 replies
I was wondering if anyone knows the guidelines for sending prospecting messages to local businesses through the FB messaging system.

For example, you want to contact a business to offer a Timeline cover photo, or help them get more fans. Are there guidelines as to how many messages you can send to non friends before getting into trouble?

I would guess the best way would be to call or email through their own site but I just wondered if anyone can fill in the blanks here.

Thanks,

Dave
#advice #contacting #facebook #needed #offer #services #users
  • Profile picture of the author wally247
    I don't know what the rules are, but I would imagine it's probably frowned upon to approach local businesses through their FB page to offer anything.


    With that said, I've done it many many times.

    For me, the response rate is totally dismal. You hear these guys on webinars say "low hanging fruit" all the time and they say "here, go to the business's FB page and tell them you can help, don't sell ...bla bla".


    Again, for ME....it gets a dismal response rate.


    I've offered to help people, partner up with people and I've tried selling (when I didn't know better) and it all had basically the same outcome.

    People do not want to be bothered in their FB page unless you are a customer asking a legitimate question....in MY experience.

    So with that in mind...it IS better to call them unless you have a way of writing them that is going to blow their mind, they won't respond.

    Or it could be because of the people I've contacted aren't engaged in their page and therefore don't check their messages...but still.

    Dismal....
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  • Profile picture of the author TrumpiaTim
    Don't do it, you'll get suspended pretty quick for spamming.
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  • Profile picture of the author massiveray
    We tried contacting businesses through Facebook to sell them mobile sites, not a single sale.

    The next week, we sent the exact same 60 businesses emails to sell the exact same service, sold 20 something sites.

    You're best off using the Facebook site to get contact info and selling to them in other ways.

    Also, we run a few Facebook pages for companies and got a message on there about a month ago from somebody selling a mobile site, we turned around to the company and said, this guy wants to sell you a mobile site and you do kinda need one, then sold him one ourselves.
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    • Profile picture of the author Social Guy
      Originally Posted by massiveray View Post

      We tried contacting businesses through Facebook to sell them mobile sites, not a single sale.

      The next week, we sent the exact same 60 businesses emails to sell the exact same service, sold 20 something sites.

      You're best off using the Facebook site to get contact info and selling to them in other ways.

      Also, we run a few Facebook pages for companies and got a message on there about a month ago from somebody selling a mobile site, we turned around to the company and said, this guy wants to sell you a mobile site and you do kinda need one, then sold him one ourselves.
      Interesting, our best luck selling mobile sites is not using FB or mailing.. We just cold call.. We tried different mailings but could not find new clients, do you have any tips (WSO maybe) that can help us create better mailings..?
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      • Profile picture of the author massiveray
        I don't have time to write a WSO, I have had this question a ton via PM so I'm gonna just paste it here....

        Through all of the methods we have tried, ppc, cold calling, email etc emails have by far the best conversion rate. Plus I'd rather have my guys hunting down SEO clients rather than mobile site ones, that's where the real money is.

        I think we are just in the perfect time to be selling them, businesses know they need them and we supply them at an affordable price. I also think it is because there is no recurring fee, they just give me my money, they get their site (sometimes we don't even install the site or the redirect script for them), end of unless they want more stuff from me.

        It is absolutely nothing special at all. I'm not going to share the exact one that we are using but it contains 3 elements:

        Tell them that their site doesn't show up on mobile phones
        Tell them how many people are using mobile devices to search for their business area
        Tell them the solution we offer (with emphasis on our "special offer" which is half price + a QR code)

        It's also useful to include a link to a mobile device emulator along with a link to an example mobile site you've made.
        Originally Posted by Social Guy View Post

        Interesting, our best luck selling mobile sites is not using FB or mailing.. We just cold call.. We tried different mailings but could not find new clients, do you have any tips (WSO maybe) that can help us create better mailings..?
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        • Profile picture of the author wrestler
          @massiveray

          Thanks for the great tip.. I think what I am missing in my approach is the part where you

          "Tell them how many people are using mobile devices to search for their business area"

          May I ask are you giving a generic number based of some report or do you have a way to retrieve this information? if you do please share that source as that would be dynamic information to be able to present to a potential client.

          Again thank you very much for the tips you are sharing, really inspirational stuff.
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          • Profile picture of the author massiveray
            Just use google keyword tool, select the mobile devices option and show them the numbers.

            Originally Posted by wrestler View Post

            @massiveray

            Thanks for the great tip.. I think what I am missing in my approach is the part where you

            "Tell them how many people are using mobile devices to search for their business area"

            May I ask are you giving a generic number based of some report or do you have a way to retrieve this information? if you do please share that source as that would be dynamic information to be able to present to a potential client.

            Again thank you very much for the tips you are sharing, really inspirational stuff.
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            • Profile picture of the author SuzanneRe
              Originally Posted by massiveray View Post

              Just use google keyword tool, select the mobile devices option and show them the numbers.
              Thank you for this info, I had no idea you could find out just mobile searches on the Google keyword tool. As I am just about to start offering mobile sites to businesses myself, this is going to help me immensely.

              Good to hear someone from the UK is having success offline.

              THANKS!!!
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    • Profile picture of the author wrestler
      Originally Posted by massiveray View Post

      We tried contacting businesses through Facebook to sell them mobile sites, not a single sale.

      The next week, we sent the exact same 60 businesses emails to sell the exact same service, sold 20 something sites.

      You're best off using the Facebook site to get contact info and selling to them in other ways.

      Also, we run a few Facebook pages for companies and got a message on there about a month ago from somebody selling a mobile site, we turned around to the company and said, this guy wants to sell you a mobile site and you do kinda need one, then sold him one ourselves.
      @massiveray
      That is fantastic results care to share some tips on how you approach them with emails? Myself I have been been going the screen shot comparison with a mock approach but a pdf attachment of where mobile is headed. Some tips you can offer or a sample script you use would be great.

      Thank for the time.
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  • Profile picture of the author wushumaro
    I recommend doing some Facebook advertising and targeting really really specifically in various niches. The more targeted you can be, the cheaper each click will be.

    Then Setup your fan page with a sales funnel, or a lead-capture form, or give away some free information on your services (there are plenty of PLRs you can purchase to give away for free which provide tremendous value). That will create trust, and trust leads to sales.

    If you need any help with your Facebook advertising let me know.
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  • Profile picture of the author ish
    @massiveray
    That is fantastic results care to share some tips on how you approach them with emails? Myself I have been been going the screen shot comparison with a mock approach but a pdf attachment of where mobile is headed. Some tips you can offer or a sample script you use would be great.

    Thank for the time.
    I second that...I've tried selling mobile sites through email, but have not had much success...your help would be really appreciated.
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