Timely Bootcamp: Supercharge your social media
Social media is a two-part game; get your clients (and potential clients) excited by your content, then let them book straight from your Facebook or Instagram pages and posts! Whether it’s simply keeping in touch with your clients or actively advertising your services, Timely makes it easy to strike while the iron is hot and convert your social traffic into bookings.
This blog is the 10th in our Timely bootcamp series, and each week we’ll be releasing a blog and hosting a Facebook LIVE class focusing on a different topic covering all the essential information you need to get ready to reopen. Follow us on Facebook to learn more.
This week’s Facebook Live – Raise your SMS Game
Tuesday 11th June
New Zealand: 8pm NZST
Australia: 6pm AEST
United Kingdom: 9am BST
Contents
- First things first, get your booking button set up
- Get clients booking straight from your Facebook posts
- Booking through Messenger
- Get your Instagram business page up and running
- Set up your Instagram booking button
- Let clients book through your Instagram ads
- Sell your products through Instagram
First things first, get your booking button set up
51% of bookings are made outside business opening hours, and that includes through social media. When someone visits your Facebook page, how easy have you made it for them to book an appointment with you? One of the simplest and easiest ways your clients and future clients can book in with you is by having a ‘BOOK NOW’ button that they can use at any time of the day!
Tip: Once you’ve got a ‘BOOK NOW’ button on your page, let your clients know about it by going ‘LIVE’ on Facebook, so everyone who has liked your page will get notified and you’ll have a captive audience for the big reveal!
Help guide: How to add booking buttons to Facebook and Instagram
Get clients booking straight from your Facebook posts
Whether you advertise on Facebook with regular content or just create casual posts, make sure you add a ‘BOOK NOW’ button! You could advertise your services, any specials you have, or introduce new staff members; as your clients scroll through their newsfeed, they’ll see your post and can book with you straight away.
Help guide: Create booking posts on Facebook
Booking through Messenger
When a client sends you a message on Facebook, they could be wanting an appointment and waiting for your reply. You won’t always be able to reply straight away, but you won’t want to miss any appointments either! The good news is that you can set up automatic Messenger replies that will point clients to your online booking; an easy way to help clients start the booking process when you’re not online, and saving you the admin of constantly checking your messages.
Tip: Use your own tone of voice so that your clients feel it’s coming from your business, instead of Facebook!
Help guide: Set up online bookings in Facebook Messenger
Get your Instagram business page up and running
If you haven’t already got one, an Instagram page just for your business is an excellent idea! It will help you to be recognised as a reputable business, and you’ll be able to get insights about your stories, posts and followers. You can also add information like business hours, location and phone number, so prospective clients don’t have to dig around for your details.
Tip: You can convert to a business account within your app account settings.
Set up your Instagram booking button
Instagram is full of inspirational content and amazing before and after photos, like the photos you post of your business! However your future clients stumble across your awesome content, make it easy for them to book with you then and there using the Instagram booking button.
Tip: Go live on Instagram to let all of your clients know that they can now book from your Instagram page, and encourage them to share it with their followers!
Help guide: How to add booking buttons to Facebook and Instagram
Let clients book through your Instagram ads
If you’re not using Instagram ads to get your business out there, you should give it a try! As your future clients are scrolling through Instagram, they might stumble across one of your ads which you’ll be using to show off your talents; you can link your ad to the online booking page on your website so they can click straight through and schedule an appointment.
Find your booking link on Instagram by going to Setup > Booking buttons and click ‘Book now link’ and copy the link that appears below.
Tips: Seal the deal and secure your bookings by using full or part online deposits!
Help guide: How to request deposits for online bookings
Useful link: How to advertise on Instagram
Sell your products through Instagram
A great way to sell products online is to talk on your Instagram stories about the products you use and would recommend your followers use. Talk about all the selling points you can think of, like who it’s suitable for, what the brand ethos is, and where it’s made, and ask your clients to reply to the story if they’re interested in purchasing it! You can then raise a sale in Timely and send them an invoice link as a reply through Instagram Messenger, where your clients can pay in a matter of minutes.
Tips:
Sign up for TimelyPay and you can start taking payments online in minutes (Available in AU, UK, NZ)
Don’t be shy, jump in front of the camera! Your clients love seeing you and your lovely team’s faces and it will help to build on the awesome relationship you have with them!
Help guides:
Sign up for TimelyPay
How to sell products online with Timely
Facebook and Instagram are great tools to promote engagement with your business and encourage your clients to book online. We talked above about getting your face onto your social media for clients to interact with, so for some great ideas on how to improve your live social media presence, check out this article.
