Facebook versus Email
Facebook has its place – But targeted email and SMS is King
In the digital world of member engagement, I quite often hear that Facebook is key to your member engagement strategies. Whilst no one can argue that Facebook has its place, it is not member engagement, but simply advertising. Advertising of your Club, your brand, and your events. Yes, there are members who can engage in your posts and your brand on Facebook, but it is not an engagement piece directed at the member themselves – it’s an extension of your website with some overarching targets.
In today’s online raffles it’s important to understand how to ensure your Club stands out and gets those all important sales. Whether you are using this revenue to support your local community, support payroll or to provide much needed marketing funds during shutdown one fact is starting to become very clear, Facebook is good, but targeted email and SMS campaigns are King.
In a recent analysis of online raffle campaigns, it was noted that a single targeted email campaign and a single targeted SMS campaign outperformed all other sale streams including Facebook.
The simple fact that the email contained personally relevant information, inviting the member themselves to participate in the Clubs online raffles proves the power of true member engagement and personalisation. Its not an ad on Facebook it is my Club, personally reaching out to me asking me to participate.
Now don’t get me wrong – Facebook is a powerful marketing tool, but the point this marketer is trying to bring home is that Facebook alone is not an engagement strategy. Email (77%) is the preferred channel for permission-based promotions. Facebook is only 7%. It has an important place in this world of social media, but as more and more people become aware of Facebook and its advertising structure – more and more people are seeing Facebook as advertising when it comes to businesses.
The take home here is that Facebook and social media are great talking pieces. They can help to showcase your Club, give an insight into the brand that you want to project – are you a fun club with a cheeky sense of humor? Do you put community work above all? Or are you all about the people?
But if you are looking to engage your members and bring home a proven ROI then targeted, personalised email and SMS campaigns are king!
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