Breaking Down The Numbers
Let’s say you have product, or a whole line of products.
You’re used to building lists via email in order to send out mass messages promoting your sales, bargains, “for a limited time only” promotions, or whatever…
Statistically, how many people on your email list were actually opening your email? Maybe 10% if you’re lucky.
Then of those 10%, how many are clicking on your links that drive people to your website (or webpage) where you are promoting your “whatever…”, about another 10%?
I mean, for those of you running email list building operations, let me know if I’m way off the mark here with my “10% of 10%” scenario.
And the reason why only 10% are opening your email to begin with is because people are busy, especially when they’re online or skimming through their email. And there it is – skimming – it’s another reason why 10% are even opening your email in the first place.
Then of the 10% that actually click your link and visit your page, how many of those are actually buying something?
Let’s be honest, it’s probably no where near 10% of the group that is visiting – probably more like 1%.
So you send out your email blast – 10% open it, 10% of those people visit your site, and 1% of those people actually buy.
Then the cycle starts all over again, and the only power you have is to build your email list. That way your percentages include more and more people.
And then there’s Facebook
On Facebook, when someone shares something you’ve written, or liked something you’ve said, or left a comment on one of your websites, you could instantly double your exposure beyond even the most effective email marketing campaigns.
And forget about all the different ways you can integrate Facebook into your website, let’s just look at a Facebook Fan Page for a second.
Why would I want to to focus on building an email list when the recipient, even if they did take some sort of action, that action is never shared anywhere – whatever that person does is isolated.
But if you instead focus on building a Facebook Fan Page, then you not only get to instantly broadcast a message out to people who took the initiative to “Like” your page, but if any of the fans on your Fan Page comment or like your update, then they instantly let all of their friends know because it shows up in their friends news stream.
Facebook = viral marketing
If I have 250 friends on Facebook and comment on your recent Facebook Fan Page update, then my comment is now streamed out to all 250 of my friends.
These are 250 people they you don’t even know, who may have never heard of you before, and who are now possibly clicking your link and checking you out.
Please tell me how an email marketing campaign achieves anything close?
And just the simple act of someone “Like’ing” your Facebook Fan Page is broadcast out to all of that person’s friends.
When someone subscribes to your email list, who knows about it other than you?
And from the standpoint of authority, on Facebook if one of my friends comments or likes something, it peaks my interest just a tad bit more simply because it’s one of my friends that did it – it’s not some unknown person who means nothing to me.
Ok, so I realize this is a bit of a rant about comparing Facebook to email list building, but I hope you see my point and get the vision of the exposure your business (brand, product, name, music, art, blog posts, whatever…) can accomplish through Facebook.
And oh yeah, one more thing… Facebook is free!