How to Use Facebook Voice Messages for Your Business
Do you use your Facebook personal profile to build business relationships?
Have you considered using Facebook voice messages to connect with your customers?
If you connect with customers on your personal profile, you can use Facebook voice messages with great success.
In this article, I’ll show you four ways Facebook voice messages can benefit your business.
What are Facebook Voice Messages?
Facebook voice messages are 60-second audio messages you record from an iOS or Android smartphone/tablet and send to friends and followers whom you’ve followed back.
To send Facebook voice messages, simply open a new message using the Facebook mobile app or the Facebook Messenger app.
Recording a Facebook voice message to Mari Smith.
From an Android phone, press the paperclip to open a blank voice message. From an iOS device, press the microphone.
When your blank message is opened, press and hold the red button to record. When you’re done recording, let go of the button and click Done to send your recording.
When a voice message is received, a playback box appears in the recipient’s Chat or Message window. They just click the arrow to listen!
Example of a sent Facebook voice message.
Now that you have a better understanding of what Facebook voice messages are and how you access them, let’s see how you can use them to benefit your business.
#1: Build Relationships When You Welcome New Followers Personally
When you’ve hit the magic 5,000-friend limit, the only way to connect with more people from your profile is to allow them to follow you.
One way to leverage personal connections with Facebook voice messages is to follow your followers.
To find your followers, go to the About tab on your profile. Scroll down to your Friends box and click on Followers.
Follow a few of your newest followers, then thank each of them for connecting with you with a short voice message. You might also use the opportunity to let them know about your website, Facebook page or any of your other social media channels.
Find your followers on the About tab of your profile.
Sending a personalized voice message to new followers will let them know you notice them and help you develop a deeper relationship with them.
#2: Become a Recognized Information Resource
If you receive a lot of questions, it can be difficult to keep up with the volume that comes through.
When you receive the same question from several people, use Facebook voice messages to record the answer once and deliver it to each person at the same time. Not only is this faster than typing individual text-based replies, it makes things more personal and you solve their problem with one effort!
If someone posts a question about something you answered in your ebook, send a Facebook voice message with a link to a free version of the ebook and mention where the answer is located.
It’s easy to become a go-to resource when you use personal voice messages to answer questions from your community.
#3: Create Brand Ambassadors
If you’re a public figure, most of your fans rarely get the opportunity to connect with or meet you in person. Facebook might be the closest they get to interacting with you.
Use voice messages to surprise a few of your business connections with a free product and a personalized recording from the CEO.
Personal voice messages have greater impact than generic emails or posts. Image source: iStockphoto
A series of surprise voice messages to share free products with people helps you create enthusiastic brand ambassadors.
#4: Reward Loyalty With Targeted Deals
Nobody feels special when they receive a discount that’s offered to everyone, but they do feel special when they receive a personal offer that’s created just for them.
Send targeted Facebook voice messages to promote exclusive deals to your community members.
When you notice a particular customer has longstanding loyalty to a product or service you offer, send a voice message and offer a truly exclusive discount on that product. Or a sneak preview of a new product!
Not only does this keep your customer excited about your products, but it also empowers him or her to tell friends about your business as well.
Personalize exclusive offers for specific voice message recipients. Image source: iStockphoto
Targeted deals are a great way to reward your loyal customers and drive awareness for your business at the same time.
Use Facebook Voice Messages Wisely
Remember, just because you can send Facebook voice messages to all your connections doesn’t mean you should go overboard. Send out too many and you risk being viewed as a spammer and that bad reputation will reflect negatively on your business and the services you provide.
Instead, use Facebook voice messages strategically to make a good impression with individual members of your community, become a valuable resource and build loyalty with your fans.
What do you think? Have you used Facebook voice messages for business? What tips can you offer? Leave a comment below on how you have used Facebook voice messages for your business or how you plan to use it.
Images from iStockPhoto.
