Wyoming Business Tips for April 13

A weekly look at Wyoming business questions from the Wyoming Small Business Development Center (WSBDC), part of WyomingEntrepreneur.Biz, a collection of business assistance programs at the University of Wyoming.

By Elizabeth Parks, WyomingEntrepreneur.Biz market researcher

“I really struggle with my Facebook page and blog posts. What should I post that will get people to buy my products?” Becky, Wamsutter

If you are looking to attract more people to your pages, then do a little research and find out where your desired audience is spending time and what they are talking about.

Is your business particularly technology driven, or food driven, or tourism driven? Then, sit down and make a list of things that you want people to know about your industry and formulate posts around these topics. Making posts related to your industry will make you the expert. People will love you, and they will have more confidence in your products and services because they come from someone who is knowledgeable and cares about bringing them the very best.

For example, if you are in the food industry, topics could include healthy living, wellness ingredients, additives, flavor-enhancers and many other things related to food.

Another strategy you can use is to study posts of leaders in your industry. For example, if you are in the sports apparel business, study the pages of leaders in this industry. What are they doing to attract attention? What kind of content are they putting on their Facebook pages?

A quick look reveals that these businesses are posting informational articles about what is new in the industry. They are posting about new apparel fabrics and new technology. They also have photo contests, such as “cutest dog” and “best sports action shot.” This kind of interaction with customers builds relationships.

You also can draw customers to your pages using the “spokes on a wheel” strategy: Your business is the hub in the center, and all of the spokes are topics that may be of interest to your customers. This strategy widens the net and draws in customers from the fringes.

Writing about topics that may be of interest to your customers attracts them in in a different way. When they find out you have interests other than your business, you become personal to them.

For example, suppose you are in the food business and your specialty is an ethnic dish. It’s hot and fresh cooked on site at the farmers market, and you do a little catering on the side. You get to talk to a lot of people while cooking at the market, and you find out that your customers also are interested in bike riding, hunting, fishing, guns, the outdoors, skiing, other ethnic foods and global tourism.

Now, you have plenty of content for your blog and Facebook page. Write about things that are of interest to your customers. Plenty is being written on these topics, and it is not hard to find. And for an added twist, take videos when you can. Short videos taken with your phone when you are out and about will help to personalize your pages and draw people in.

A blog version of this article and an opportunity to post comments is available at http://wyen.biz/blog1/.

The WSBDC is a partnership of the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Wyoming Business Council and the University of Wyoming. To ask a question, call 1-800-348-5194, email wsbdc@uwyo.edu or write 1000 E. University Ave., Dept. 3922, Laramie, WY, 82071-3922.