Success in Facebook advertising is an elusive beast.  Direct marketers who pine for sales & conversions often discover that Facebook advertising is about making connections, building trust, and developing a relationship.  For most direct marketers, we aren’t interested in dating our customers.  We want a one night stand.  Leave the relationship work to our wingmen/wingwomen in customer service.

For those advertisers who are all about the ABC’s, I offer 5 tips:

1. Fake a relationship: Facebook ads are largely designed to build connections on a Facebook page.  Offer coupons in exchange for liking your company’s page.  The user will think you’re going for the long haul connection but getting coupons in the right users’ hands is as good as a sale
2. Hyper target: Are your best customers filthy rich retired golfers?  Target 55+ men in Loudon County Virginia
3. Sell on Facebook: Users hate leaving their beloved Facebook.  Why force them to go to your site, when you can duplicate most functionality within Facebook?  Sell directly within Facebook using Amazon Webstore
4. Get Them on the Phone: Facebook allows advertisers to use phone #’s or coupon codes in ads.  Why not utilize every impression as an opportunity to sell your wares
5. Sell a product Facebook users want: You get to pick and choose your audience.  Choose a product the audience wants.  If your target audience loves Call of Duty, selling Call of Duty: Black Ops should not be a problem