Promoting Your Business During Your Holiday Downtime

What do you like to do in your free time during the holidays? Aside from running around and shopping, if you are like most people these days, scrolling through Facebook while sitting on the couch probably makes your list. What if you could enjoy your Facebook time and still promote your business? Sounds like a win-win situation, right?

To help you keep your business rolling while still taking time for yourself during the holidays, we’ve assembled five ways you can do both (that’ll actually benefit your business).

Click That ‘Like’ Button
Do you enjoy being liked? Does it make you feel good when something you’ve shared on social media receives a handful of likes from your friends? Well, the people you follow on social media feel the same when they see those likes on their posts! Let’s turn a pretty simple idea into a subtle form of advertising for business. So double-tap that picture or click the little thumbs up in the bottom corner and give people a constant reminder of who can they come to for their real estate needs.

Comment
Comment on posts that appear in your timeline. This takes a bit more thinking than clicking on a like button, yet can be more effective. Complimenting and congratulating friends are what I consider easier comment icebreakers. The reason you should do this is that not only will your friends see that you’re actively online and interested in conversing, but also their friends will begin recognizing your name. Consider adding a comment in a subtle way to showcase your business through brand awareness advertising, but without any actual associated cost for that advertising. This is especially impactful when you can share your knowledge alongside that comment—just don’t be too boastful.

Share
Similar to the difference between a great conversation versus a terrible one, sharing the things that interest you is far easier than worrying about how to share things for your business that your followers might like. Don’t feel pressured to scroll through your pictures and find the best picture of your Saturday festivities; simply find things that are interesting, such as nearby events, activities, general news, hobbies, upcoming sales or recipes.

For many small businesses, your core audience doesn’t just invest in your product or service, but also in the person behind the scenes. Sharing your interests helps your audience get to know you better. The popular trend of “locally grown, locally harvested” advertisements we see in the restaurant industry is a great example of investing in more than just what’s sitting in front of a customer.

Ask a Question
Opening up the conversation is something I’ve always been taught to do in business. It isn’t always as easy as saying, “How are you?” and someone spilling their life story, but it doesn’t have to be very difficult, either.

Try creating a poll. They’re very easy to set up and widely versatile for just about any occasion. They don’t have to pertain to business either. For example, you can ask seasonal questions such as someone’s favorite holiday or Christmas movie. You can be lighthearted and ask questions such as the desert island game, what superpower would you want, thoughts on the latest Walking Dead episode, etc. You can also just ask these questions in a post if you’d prefer, as it’s easier than creating a poll—a poll is just more fun!

Asking a question is a great way to increase engagement, and many of your friends will chime in if they feel compelled; however, creating a poll takes that engagement and adds a bit of fun into the mix. It turns a simple question into a little game for your friends and followers. Facebook and Instagram Stories features even allow you to create quick, easy polls that disappear after 24 hours. I actually created a recent poll on whether a friend of mine should cut his long hair or not. Unfortunately, the majority lost as my friend was the swing vote in the cutting of his own hair.

Private Message
We are all guilty of pushing some of our friendships aside when we’re busy; it’s just human nature. Some folks are great with balancing work life with their personal life, but many of us are not as successful. Even the great Oprah Winfrey said, “You can have it all. Just not all at once.”

You mustn’t forget, not only are friendships good for us, but our friends can also be our biggest advocates. A quick private message to someone doesn’t require much effort, yet is meaningful in maintaining that relationship. And, you never know when simply checking in to say “hey” to someone could lead to you or your business being brought up in a later conversation of theirs.

So there you have it—five easy things you can do to help advertise your business while still giving yourself the chance to relax. If you need help managing your social profile or don’t have enough time to dedicate to building your online presence, check out Homes.com Social Fuel. Our team of social media experts can set up your profiles, create and post content on your behalf, and even manage your Facebook ads to help you connect with buyers and sellers.

Joe Sesso is an author and national speaker for Homes.com. For more information, please visit marketing.homes.com.