Discover the benefits of letting in your clients into your social network.
Over the years, social media has evolved to become an important touchpoint in building customer relationships. Clients usually want fast responses so being readily available on social media is an opportunity to connect and build brand loyalty.
So, when a client sends you a Facebook friend request, you might think: Is this crossing the line between personal and business? But actually, it has some major benefits you’re not aware of.
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Building Client Relationships On Social Media
These days, social media platforms like Facebook aren’t just used for promotions anymore. It’s what brands use now to establish connections and to widen their reach and influence. Moreover, when clients feel more connected to the brand, the more they’re inclined to trust you, which often leads to a significant increase in your bottom line.
Benefits of Becoming Facebook Friends With Your Client
The platform extends to more than just being a cyber-meeting place for your friends and family. Insurance agents, for example, use Facebook as a networking venue. It’s more convenient to introduce yourself to potential clients when you have one or more friends in common. Facebook actually has a suggested friends feature. In their industry, receiving referrals is most preferred.
Once you’re in your client’s network, promoting your brand and services becomes easier. Although Facebook allows you to create ads, these can get overwhelming most of the time. This is your opportunity, therefore, to roll out content that is informative, inspirational, and entertaining. Once they find these relatable, they’ll share them with their friends thus, increasing brand awareness.
When you become Facebook friends, you’re allowing your clients to get to know you on a more personal level. When they peruse your profile, they get to see your family life, travel photos you’ve taken in the past, and even humorous posts. In a way, this “humanizes” you which enables them to trust you.
What You Should Do Before Sending a Friend Request
Once you decide to send that friend request, there are things you should keep in mind before you hit “Click.” After all, you want to nurture your relationship with your client and not ruin it.
Analyze your Facebook profile
Do a quick sweep on your timeline. Do your self-published posts and even shared ones reflect poorly on your image? While becoming Facebook friends is sort of like showing your casual side, your profile still needs to feel welcoming and appropriate at the very least.
Manage your privacy settings
But at the end of the day, you still get to decide what gets out and what doesn’t. To be on the safer side, you can always adjust your privacy settings.
For example, you can segment your friends into lists. Separate those from your professional life, so when you post, you have the option to choose who gets to see it.
Currently, Facebook has in-app categories: Public, Friends, Friends of Friends, and Only Me. You can make your own list as well.
Introduce yourself
This is similar to sending a message first before calling. It’s only polite to give your clients a heads-up or ask permission if you can add them to your social network. If it’s a referral, it’s best to include in your introduction how you got their contact. Doing so makes them feel more comfortable and open since both of you have common friends.
The Dos and Don’ts on What To Share on Your Facebook Profile
To get you started, here are some dos and don’ts on what you share on your profile.
Do: Like and comment on their status.
Don’t: Spamming them with promotional efforts.
Creating engagements makes your client feel good and to an extent, trust you. However, spamming them with ads and other marketing efforts can be annoying. Make use of soft-sell techniques to connect. That is how you obtain a brand following.
Do: Post photos of your family or recent vacation.
Don’t: Post photos of you inebriated.
It’s crucial that you still maintain an air of professionalism. Photos of you drunk or partying can leave a bad impression. While you can’t always delete these photos, just untag yourself to remove them from your profile. Enable the “Review” setting to take control of what shows up on your timeline.
Do: Share professional achievements.
Don’t: Go on a rant spree.
It’s extremely unprofessional if your client stumbles upon a post about bad client experiences. It’ll make them feel like you’d do the same to them. This will stain your reputation and might ruin your career altogether. Even if it was posted a long time ago, screenshots exist. Clients can use these against you.
Do: Share about your favorite books, TV shows, movies, etc.
Don’t: Post about political leanings, religious views, etc.
Movies and books can become common talking points with your prospects. This makes it easier for you to engage with them. Consequently, prospects will most likely go with someone they can relate to and have something in common with.
On the other hand, religious views, for example, can be a very touchy subject. You don’t want to risk losing a prospect over this. He or she doesn’t even need to know, especially if you’ve added them for professional purposes only. These types of posts don’t really benefit you, so it’s best to hide them from your timeline.
FAQs About Becoming Facebook Friends With Your Client
Here are some FAQs about adding your clients on Facebook:
What do I do when my client rejects my request?
Before you send any request, make sure that you inform them beforehand. They can tell you right away if they’re okay with it. If they’re not, respect their decision. Maybe they have their own reasons like keeping their privacy in check, so you should acknowledge that.
How do I attract clients on Facebook?
Make your brand relatable. Your posts should tap into emotions for clients to engage and trust you. On a technical side, invest in analytics to time and target your posts. This ensures that your content goes to the right audience.
Becoming Facebook friends might feel intrusive at first, but don’t you appreciate it when your client actually trusts you and considers you a friend in real life?
