Facebook has evolved to be at the heart of our online social life, and as a result it has become a place where businesses can openly communicate to customers on a whole new level. I believe Facebook is the most exciting and expansive marketing tool today for the powersports industry. At Duo Web Solutions, we use Facebook as a research tool to find new information on brands, products and services. We continually team up with our dealership clients to create new and innovative promotions to keep their fans engaged. I’ll let you in on a secret: I am like the vast majority of social media junkies who are total suckers for contests and coupons – here is how to use it to your advantage with Facebook.

Facebook Promo Pages
The latest Facebook trend is “Promo Pages,” which we also refer to as custom pages. These pages allow you to highlight anything that you want most prominently displayed on your page. I call it the “wow” factor of social media marketing. Your current Facebook business page is likely made up of a wall, photo gallery and basic business information, while the other tabs such as “discussions” sit blank and are not utilized. It’s time to get rid of those irrelevant pages and turn your Facebook page into a microsite (or mini website) to really highlight and promote your dealership!

What is a Facebook Promo Page?
Facebook Promo Pages allow you to reach out to your target audience where they are socializing, as opposed to forcing fans to come to your website for the information they are seeking (visualize this as “pushing” content to customers rather than “pulling” customers to your content).

The purpose of Facebook Promo Pages is to create a powerful brand and business visibility that encourages customers to first “like” your page in order to join your Facebook community and/or to receive more information in the future. This is different from a standard Facebook business page because these pages do not require visitors to “like” your page before browsing the content.

Further, a Promo Page allows you to brand and promote your business with a visual and robust presentation, which does not come standard with a Facebook business page. Another great benefit to a Promo Page is it allows customers to get a quick synopsis of your dealership, inventory, promotions and more without having to link over to your website for this information.

Do I Need a Promo Page?
No, technically, you do not need a Promo Page; however, recent research has shown that a custom designed Facebook page typically gains twice as many “likes” as a standard Facebook page, and an eye-catching and well-designed customized Facebook business page is likely to encourage visitors to spend more time on your page, interacting with your company and your loyal fans. With these proven results, why would you skip this opportunity to engage more customers?

The key is to utilize a Promo Page to show your dealership’s personality. You sell fun, so be creative with taglines, pictures and content to gain instant customer loyalty and new customer interest.

Key Benefits of Facebook Promo Pages
These pages require users to “like” your page in order to view your content and be part of your community. This format creates a sense of exclusivity that attracts brand enthusiasts.

“Facebook only” offers are proven to be highly successful. Foot traffic to your dealership tracks results, along with statistics provided by Facebook metrics and website analytic programs.

Custom graphic presentations catch the eye of potential fans, drawing interest to your biggest and best events.

Think of these pages as a microsite or mini version of your website that allow users to learn about your dealership at a glance without having to link over to your website for this information.

Many techies believe Facebook Promo Pages are the wave of the future. Will websites be replaced by Facebook mini websites? Only time will tell, but this is no doubt a sound investment.

How to build a Facebook Promo Page
Are you psyched to build your own Facebook Promo Pages?

Check out these two resources:

• Head over to pagemodo.com, a new service that offers a free tool for building your first promo page. Monthly fees apply if you would like to build additional pages.

•  If you are not a do-it-yourselfer, or if you get stuck, contact me directly for guidance. There are many apps on the market; however, they are all “open source,” which means they are not all reliable, tested or supported, which can make navigating these new Facebook waters tricky.

Final Advice: Start Small
I hope you are motivated to get your creative juices flowing and create a new Facebook Promo Page that’s going to engage and entertain your customers. If you’re not sure where to start, I recommend a simple, well-designed introductory page about your business. Showcase the brands you carry, top services and the location of your dealership with links back to the top sections of your site. Start small, watch the results and build from there.

Peggy Olson is the founder of Duo Web solutions, a company specializing in providing web and online marketing service to Powersports dealers. Peggy can be reached at [email protected].