Hello every one. This is my first post here so I thought I would ask the question that has bugging me a lot since the last few days.

There’s this prospect (restaurant business) who is keen to build a community on Facebook but doesn’t want to spend on FB ads. Neither does he have an email database or a blog.

I am not sure how do I go ahead getting ‘likes’ for his page when the best three ways are already closed!

Can you guys help me out a little bit here?

@rakeshthekumar,

Some possibilities:

• Install a prominent Facebook like widget (e.g. button or box) on every page of the business’ website. Make sure it’s an actual widget, and not just a link (i.e so that people can like the FB directly from the website)
  
• Encourage existing customers to like the page from within the restaurant itself. You can include a URL of the FB page on the receipts, put up signs around the restaurant, etc. My recommendation here is to give people an incentive to actually “like” the page. Maybe run a sweepstake for a gift card to the restaurant. In order to enter, people have to like the page. Make sure you use a 3rd party app such as Woobox to ensure that you’re in compliance with FB promotion/contest guidelines and for tracking purposes. From experience, the better the offer, the more incentivized people will be, i.e. you’ll get a better response if you offer a $100 gift card vs. $10 gift card. Many of these apps give you the option of requiring that the user share the offer with his/her friends to enter.
  
• Make sure that your Facebook page URL is listed in all of your local business profiles (e.g. Google Places, Urban Spoon, etc.)

Good luck!

- Lukas

Thank you all for your wonderful responses.

@alexandrabriggs Presently, the prospect doesn’t even have a website. I will be building that as well. Foursquare is not that popular here in India but Facebook is a rage! Can you point me to any case study where a brand leverged Facebook check-ins?

I haven’t worked with FB check-ins so I don’t know how one can track and reward users using the same.

@lukaspleva In-store promotion sounds the best way forward for now. Thanks for the link to Woobox. They seem to have amazing features. Wish there was a free alternative to it though. But I doubt there are any free contest/sweepstakes apps.

@andrea-vahl I think tie-ups with local business pages might also work. There are few local communities which have a much bigger user base. May be asking them to promote the contest/sweepstake might help me tap into their community.

Thanks again for your helpful answers.

@annfurnivall,

I never in my post suggested that he should comment on other restaurants’ FB pages, precisely for the reason you point out.

That said, social media is all about being social, and joining conversations on community pages can be helpful (like you mentioned).

- Lukas

@rakeshthekumar,

Another suggestion, is the restaurant owner a member of any local business groups / associations / networking groups? Might be worth asking if they can help promote your page to some local consumers.

Our business (also a restaurant) is part of a “shop local” group that has HUGE social media presence, and they’ve been more than helpful helping spread the word about our promotions, website, etc.

Just a thought

- Lukas

@lukaspleva can  you  tell us  more about how your  shop local page  got   started?   and  any hints?   sounds  good…