Tempted to try Facebook Ads? Given up on them because they “didn’t work?” Even if you’re getting some results (most wedding pros aren’t) you’ve barely scratched the surface of the amazing marketing possibilities of this medium.
I’ve adapted Aaron Zakowski’s “naughty” article, 10 Sneaky Ways to Use Facebook Custom Audiences for our own wedding industry.
Most of these strategies involve using Facebook Ads custom audiences to target a very specific group. You can create your own custom audience by uploading email addresses, phone numbers or even by targeting visitors to your website.
Yes, it’s stealthy, sneaky and effective.
Try these on for size…
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Target your email list.
One of the many reasons to build your own lead list is because you can target your email subscribers on Facebook.
Simply upload those emails as a Facebook custom audience. Typically 70% of email addresses on a high quality list are associated with a Facebook account. Now you can target your ads just for those email subscribers.
Why would you want to do that?
Well, typically only 11-26% of emails get opened. Showing up in the Facebook newsfeed is another way to get your message through to them. It keeps you top of mind, and it’s relatively easy to get them to click through and take you up on an offer.
Super Sneaky Tip: As long as you have valid email addresses, you can also target the brides and grooms on the bridal show lead list! Watch the video in this article to learn how.
2. “Clone” your best customers and target them.
Wouldn’t it be nice to take your very best couples and “clone” them? Facebook Ads lets you get pretty darn close with lookalike custom audiences.
Simply upload a file containing your customers’ email addresses or phone numbers to Facebook as a custom audience. Then create a NEW “lookalike” custom audience.
Facebook analyzes the demographics and interests of your customers, then creates an audience of people just like them. Note: you’ll still need to filter them further by interest or geographic lookalike audiences can be quite large.
It’s a sneaky and fabulous way to put your ads in front of the couples who are most likely to book you.
3. Target visitors to your website.
Typically 95% of the people who visit your website leave without contacting you. Most of them never come back. (Don’t believe me? Check your Google Analytics.)
Now you can target those disappearing website visitors with Facebook Ads!
This involves pasting a Custom Audience pixel on the page or pages of your website whose visitors you wish to track. When a visitor lands on that page, Facebook tags them and adds them to your custom audience.
Never fear, this isn’t technical. If you can copy and paste, and you have the ability to make changes to your website, you can do this.
4. Target the alumni of a particular school or couples who work at a certain location.
Let’s say that you discover that your very best, high-end clients graduated from Harvard. Or that the coolest couples work at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Facebook Ads lets you target ads based on the person’s college or workplace. No more wasting your time with budget shoppers. Smart, eh?
5. Target your current clients with an upsell or special offer.
It costs 6-7 times more to get a new customer, compared with selling to a current customer. You already know who they are, they already trust you, so you don’t have to spend the time and money convincing them.
Facebook Ads targeted just for these current customers will be an extremely effective promotion to a very small and responsive group. It’s perfect if you’re running a seasonal special like Valentine’s Day photo shoots or a brunch.
6. Target your Google Adwords visitors.
If you’re running Adwords and Facebook Ads, this is a great way to get more bang for your buck by combining your forces.
Place a custom audience pixel on the landing pages where you drive your Adwords traffic. Then retarget those people with your Facebook Ad campaign. Now they’ll really see you “everywhere!”
7. Target the wedding pros who send you referrals.
Why not market to your key referral partners or potential partners? You can do this with a special referral offer just for them, or with advertising meant to keep you top of mind.
The more they see you, the more likely you are to earn the referral. A good ad can get you in front of high-end venues or planners who won’t take your calls, or pave the way for a friendly introduction.
Now you’ve got a bunch of new tricks to try with those Facebook Ads. Don’t say I never shared any secrets with you. 🙂
What do you think about Facebook ads? Leave a comment below.