You’ve studied the books. You know consumers go through your store from left of the entrance, around the back, then down the right side.

You’ve got your best selling products on end caps. You even have the shiny objects placed neatly at checkout in hopes for an additional $1-$5 emotional purchase.

The problem is, none of this works if no one walks in your store in the first place. Naturally, you decide to spruce up your website to get more traffic.

“Expecting people to come to your website is expecting them to make an extra effort,” explains Janet Fouts, a social media coach. “They’re already on Facebook.”

Click continue to see how to instantly fill your retail store with eager buyers…

1. Employ a simple text-to-like mobile strategy in your retail store

When it comes to marketing with Facebook, one of the toughest things for retail stores to do is get those who enjoy their business, or are fans of the store, to Like their business’ Facebook fan page. I mean, wouldn’t it feel a little awkward to ask a customer to go home, get on their computer, and Like your page?

But wait – there is a much, much easier way! What if you could offer the suggestion, and then make it super simple for them to it right from where they are standing? All that’s required is 2 words. Sounds too simple to be true, right?

Let’s test it out…text Like Heyo to 32665 and you will instantly Like Heyo’s Facebook fan page.

‘How can I use this?’ you ask. Here are 3 suggestions to try for your retail store:

1. Offer a bonus to people making a purchase in your store. For example, “text Like Wireless-Zone Blacksburg and get a FREE cellphone case.”

2. Put up a sign that asks customers to do it. This is minimal effort on their part, and people will do it simply because they saw it, as time goes on. The image on the right is a good example of a possible sign you can use.

3. Put the same kind of graphic as the signage on individual products or receipts as people check out. Get stickers or small cutouts made and put one in the bag, box, or just hand it to them.

The text-to-like strategy is the easiest and most effective when it comes to translating a great customer experience into positive ROI and recommendations on Facebook.

2. Reward your customers with contests, giveaways, and sale coupons

Hold contests your fans can’t resist! Newegg has over 1M fans and found it fun and relatively easy to do.

Offering a Nintendo Wii as a reward, the online retailer encouraged fans to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Currently, their fan page is promoting a chance to win a trip for 3 to the Big Apple. By offering these delicious incentives, Newegg has been able to generate fans, Likes, and better yet – engagement through commenting.

You can also hold giveaways within your Facebook page, like video or photo competitions, that get your fans generating content. This can also result in great feedback on how customers view your products.

Take 1-800-FLOWERS for example. They have a tab called Smiles Photo Contest, which gives people the ability to share a picture that makes them smile.

Not only will your picture be displayed in their image galleries, but you can enter for a chance to be featured on their Pinterest page and win prizes as well! Added bonus for the florist – cute baby pics are always share-worthy 😉

3. Make selling more social

Continuing with our previous example – in order to increase top-of-the-mind-awareness and connect with people at the moment they need the florist’s services most, 1-800-FLOWERS created the Forget-Me-Not and Group Gifts applications.

These apps serve as a reminder for important events and purchasing form, respectively, right from their fan page!

Through their Group Gifts app, you can send an arrangement to a Facebook or non-FB friend by selecting their FB profile (or filling in contact info), the occasion, and the date. Imagine the incredible kinds of customer data they can glean from this as well!

Not enough for you? Ulla Popken USA, a plus-size women’s clothier, has utilized an incredible online store.

You can browse and shop through all different categories of clothes, jewelry, shoes, and more! This is incredibly effective, given the increasing change in consumer behavior regarding social media.

How you can do it

Plug your business’s purchasing website into the social world with zero coding!

Using Heyo’s iFrame widget, you can import your website right into a tab on Facebook in just 5-seconds, allowing people to purchase products without even leaving your fan page!

Simply drag-and-drop the iFrame widget’s icon into the editor, enter your site’s URL, and BAM! – your online store is now plugged into the social world.

Or, if you want to make a brand new online store on your Facebook fan page, use Heyo’s Online Store template to give your store a creative direction. Want to add more products to your page? It’s easy! Just drag-and-drop our Product widget to give you a small product image and description.

Want to run a contest or giveaway  on your fan page, like Newegg and 1-800-FLOWERS?

In less than 5-seconds, you can add a contest or sweepstakes form onto your page – complete with its own countdown ticker –  by dropping our Contest widget onto your page.

You can customize everything from the image and text displayed, to the count-down timer and entry button, to name just a few.

 Your Turn

What was the last contest you ran for your store? Tell us in the comments below.

Meet David George

David A. George is the Chief Content Creator at Heyo. I'm passionate about marketing, Android, being at the beach, and breathing underwater. I'd love to connect with you on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. Or email me at dgeorge(at)heyo.com