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How Small Businesses are Thriving on Messenger

One of the things that makes small businesses so special is how personal they are. When you walk in to your local bakery or stop by your corner bodega, it’s not just about the box of cookies you need for your last-minute dinner party or the carton of milk you’re picking up for your morning coffee, it’s about the people behind the business, and the relationship you have built with them over the years. While many small businesses still have a community of local, loyal customers who frequent their establishment regularly, many others rely heavily on technology to reach their audience, with an increasing number of small businesses building their livelihoods entirely online. Technology has helped businesses large and small reach more people than ever before, but sometimes digital marketing can feel like it’s missing that personal connection that makes small businesses so special. Messaging changes that. While people are using messaging more and more to connect with the people they love, they are increasingly turning to messaging to connect with the brands they care about. In fact, 53% of people are more likely to shop with a business they can message directly. Facebook Messaging Survey by Nielsen (Facebook-commissioned study of 12,500 people ages 18+ who used a mobile messaging app in the past 30 days across AE, AU, BR, FR, ID, IN, JP, KR, MX, TH, TW, UK, US and VN), March 2016. The study included 1,000 respondents per market except for AE, TW and VN, where the sample size was 500. Small businesses are already jumping on the messaging wagon. Aprille Franks-Hunt, a Master Business Coach in Oklahoma, uses Messenger to connect with her community, distribute materials and encourage signups for her seminars. Mermaid Pillow Company, a family-owned business in Nebraska, uses Messenger to answer questions and enable transactions. And Love Your Melon, a Minnesota-based brand that makes hats for children battling cancer, uses sponsored messages to re-engage with customers and promote new merchandise. We’re excited to share two new opportunities to help small businesses get started using Messenger.
  • In partnership with , a bot development platform, we’re holding a Messenger bot makeover contest in which winners NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Submission phase begins 11/20/2017 at 10:00:00AM PT & ends 12/4/2017 at 8:00:00PM PT. Only open to businesses (legal entities and individuals) that: have a valid Facebook account; are a resident or legally formed in 50 U.S., DC or PR; have 100 or fewer employees; as of the contest start date, uses Messenger to connect with customers and uses digital marketing channels; & is 18+ and maj+. 3 winners determined by highest score using criteria: Commitment to messaging (40%); Business goal (40%); & Creativity (20%). Void where prohibited by law. SUBJECT TO FULL OFFICIAL RULES, which contain important bot and content restrictions and requirements. ARV of each Prize: $8,000. Total ARV $24,000. Ad credits must be used within 90 days of issuance and are subject to their terms. Verified winner must spend minimum required time on Messenger marketing to make use of the prize or it will be forfeited. Sponsor: Facebook, Inc., 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025. will receive a makeover for their Messenger experience from ManyChat as well consultation from our team of Messenger experts at Facebook and $5000 in ad credits.SUBJECT TO FULL
  • We’re also partnering with small business expert expert Gene Marks for a Facebook Live panel about Messenger best practices on Tuesday, November 21 at 3pm PST.
For more information about these events, visit the Facebook Newsroom. With the holiday shopping season right around the corner, we encourage small businesses to be responsive on Messenger and consider using instant replies or an away message to manage conversations during this busy time. And discover more tips to drive business results on Messenger here. We’re inspired by the businesses already succeeding on Messenger and want to help more small businesses discover the power of Messenger to drive results and make business personal again.

Visit the Facebook Newsroom for more information.

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