Using Facebook Ads to Retain New Customers

Marketing 5 minute read 5th October 2020

Customer loyalty is integral to any brick and mortar business. But how do you keep customers returning without breaking the bank?

Facebook is the biggest social network in the world with 2 Billion active users, so it’s no wonder that the majority of brick and mortars have dipped their toes in Facebook Ads at some point. Yet, 62% of small business owners say that Facebook Ads miss their targets for engagement.

The issue is rarely with the quality of the business itself, but an example of channel saturation. Businesses no longer operate solely in the physical dimension, but in the digital too. With them all fighting for advertising ROI (return on investment), businesses must practice more specific and goal-driven campaigns to achieve ROI by re-targeting customers who have already experienced their business.

Something like this…

  1. Customer visits your place of business
  2. Customer data is captured (Read below to see how)
  3. Customers are targeted by Facebook Ads, inviting them back or prompting them to like your Facebook page

Collecting marketing data

What is marketing data? It’s a customer profile, including name and email, plus any demographic data that can help you laser-target how you engage with them. Every brick and mortar business should be collecting marketing data. It is the lifeblood of any digital strategy and the more you have, the more it can do for you.

So how do you get it?

  1. Leaflet Slips - Have a physical slip that can be filled out on tables, counters or at the door. Provide an incentive for sign-ups such as discounts, events or just information. This isn’t the fastest method, but it is something you can do right away.

  2. Website Forms - Both new and existing customers likely check your website to book an appointment/table or check your opening times. This regular website traffic is a great opportunity to capture marketing data with a form.

  3. Beambox WiFi Logins - Of course, using Beambox for Guest WiFi means that customer profiles are gathered whenever somebody connects to your WiFi. On average you will have 300 customer profiles within 30 days, making it the quickest way to build your marketing database. If you’re not already a customer, take advantage of our 30 day free trial of data capture and kickstart your database.

Beambox also dynamically segments customers (Using WiFi and proximity data) between new, loyal and lost customers. This lets you really focus your ads for an even higher ROI.

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Creating a Facebook Ads custom audience

To get started, head over to Facebook Ads Custom Audience and select Create Audience.

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If you are using Beambox as your data source then your exported CSV is ready to be imported. Otherwise, most marketing tools (Mailchimp, Constant Contact) will include an export feature to generate a CSV from your data. You can also simply paste in your emails if you are just starting out and dealing with a smaller amount of data.

Name your custom audience and progress through the steps. Facebook Ads will map your data and create a custom audience from associated Facebook accounts. Now you can use this custom audience to retarget new customers and increase loyalty.

Ad Ideas

Are you a cafe or restaurant? Use Facebook Ads to capture new customers and invite them to book again within a timeframe, incentivised by a discount or offer.

Are you a hairdreser or beauty salon? Use Facebook Ads to get infront of first time customers 25-35 days after their first visit, making sure that you are in their memory when they are likely needing another trim or wanting their nails done.

Are you a bar or pub? Use Facebook Ads to invite new customers to like your Facebook page, keeping them engaged and in the loop with your latest events and offers.

Are you in retail? Use Facebook ads to re-target new customers with online sales or new product releases.

Grow your business and customer loyalty with guest WiFi!

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