I recently spent some time with a young, very successful entrepreneur whose company is investing in a Google adwords campaign. They have hired a company that specializes in implementing efforts like this and are investing several thousand dollars each month. The prospect-to-client conversion rate is not great: Only one in 10 calls results in a sale. With key words averaging $6 each, they are investing about $60 per prospect and the average sale barely makes a profit.
Interestingly enough, this local business was not investing in Facebook advertising. Surprising, actually, when you recognize how impactful and important neighborly recommendations are for this service industry. I explained some of the key benefits that Facebook advertising offers:
1. Pay per click or by view
2. Controlled budgets – wanna try it out on the cheap? You can dip your toe in for as little or as much as you like
3. Audience precision- reach people by geogrpahical location, based on key words, interests, etc.
4. Ads can be connected to a Facebook page or a corporate website, which can be used to develop relationship with folks who could become clients
5. But most importantly, Facebook allows interaction: Your happy clients can point their friends to your business and you can interact with your customers.
OK, Facebook ads are not the only option beyond Google AdWords. But listen, a staggering 175 million people log onto Facebook every day! How many of these are potential customers who are having conversations with their friends about vendors, asking for recommendations, talking about service providers to avoid, etc.? Should this company give up their Google AdWords campaign? I don’t know. But I do question an online advertising plan that uses only one channel for advertising.
Where are your potential customers hanginout online? Will you be there to join them?
Tags: Facebook, facebook ads, google, google adwords, Robin Tracy Public Relations, Tracy Richardson Clement