You know that most of your web traffic isn’t profitable.

You know it stings.

In all likelihood, at least a few of those site visitors were close to converting, and now they’re gone.

You can do something about it.

And that’s retargeting.

[Tweet] Turn the site visitors you lose into the paying customers you keep. Retargeting gives 70% better odds.

That’s why we talked about retargeting on Facebook a few months back. We compared the two retargeting platforms, Facebook Exchange and Website Custom Audiences. We even walked you through setting up a self-service campaign.

But there’s more to it. You don’t just set up a campaign blindly; you’re paying for it, after all!

So, in the interest of making the most of your Facebook retargeting investment, we’re going to give you 4 tactics that simply work.

 

1. Do Content First, Then Sales

For most of us, our first impulse is to run sales ads. They expressed interest, didn’t they? That’s why we’re retargeting them in the first place.

But you can warm these prospects even more. Do a bit of inbound marketing.

Take something your prospects might be interested in. It could be best practices for content marketers or work-out regimens for weight-lifters.

Give the content marketers an ebook – on say, how to write email subject lines that really drive open rates. Offer the weight-lifters a video about doing calisthenics while traveling.

Your retargeting ads will promote these assets. Once they hit an asset page and download the asset, you can start running sales ads. Use the Facebook retargeting pixel for this.

Now, you’ve not only eased them closer to a conversation with your industry (and your product), but you’ve provided them with something of value as well.

[Tweet] Nurture your retargeting on Facebook to ease back into the sales you lost.

ebook inboud marketing

Use inbound marketing for retargeting sales.

 

2. Get Those Free Trials Activated

Here’s an easy one.

When you sell a subscription service or a piece of software, you probably offer free trials. It’s a good way to give your prospects a taste of what they’d get as customers.

They may like it so much they buy it outright.  Or, they might have forgotten about the whole thing.  This is where retargeting comes in.

Once a prospect hits the download site for your free trial, you can start serving him ads to remind him to activate it. The ads may be delayed until a couple weeks before the trial expires, or the ads might start right away. You can be as aggressive as you like.

And with these Facebook retargeting ads, your free trials get:

    • o
    • More use.

o

    • More exposure.

o

    • More advertising.

o

  • More conversions.

Once again, your Facebook retargeting pixel will trigger the campaign.

[Tweet] Stay top-of-mind by retargeting your free trials on Facebook. Turn them into paid accounts!

Check

Convert your free trials and get paid.

 

3. Follow up on Your Email Offers

You probably sell over email. Many of us do. It’s still the leading channel for ROI.

But, like all kinds of offers, they don’t always convert. And, like all kinds of lost sales, they can be retargeted.

Take those email offers – say, a discount on your upcoming conference – and reword them into Facebook ad placements. You should be hitting prospects who open your email offers but don’t actually convert.

And by connecting your email and social campaigns, which you should be doing, you’ll have even more synergy.

A multiplier effect that really drives conversions.

Moreover, it’s always good to get your offers more visibility – that’s why you’re making them – and social media really delivers there. Facebook’s user numbers speak for themselves.

Just build a Website Custom Audience from your email list. Be sure to suppress the ones that already converted, though.

[Tweet] Keep your email marketing offers front and center. Retarget them on Facebook to your subscribers!

Email

Retarget your email offers on Facebook.

 

4. Cross-Sell, Cross-Sell, Cross-Sell

If you’ve worked in sales in any capacity, you’ve heard the term before.

Cross-selling is pitching a product that’s related and complementary to the one your customer just bought.

It might be an HDMI cable for a high-definition T.V. It may be a ski rack for a new car. It could even be peanut butter for your jar of jelly.

The point is, they work together. They’re a natural fit. The next sale should come much easier, and it often does, so take advantage of this in your Facebook advertising campaigns.

You’ll have to figure out what it is you’re targeting first.

If you work at IKEA, it might be customers who bought a nightstand online. Just retarget off that sale confirmation page; the Facebook retargeting pixel will do the work for you.

You’re going to pitch them a lamp. It’s an understandable cross-sell. But be sure to include the sale confirmation page for that lamp to remove any customers that already bought it.

Now, run ads on Facebook for the lamp. You’re not pursuing a sale you lost – you’re going after another – but the same retargeting principles and procedures apply.

[Tweet] Facebook retargeting isn’t just for the sales you lost; you can cross-sell, too.

lamp

You can cross-sell through Facebook retargeting.

 

And there you have it. Tactics for getting a strong return on your Facebook retargeting investment.

Give them a shot yourself and let us know how it went.

Also, leave a comment about your own retargeting tactics. What works best for you? What’s been a disappointment?