Engagement seems to be the buzzword in marketing these days, especially when it comes to online marketing and social media. The idea is that if your online presence helps customers feel a part of your product or brand, they’re more likely to buy from you. There is no shortage of expert opinions about how to craft good social media posts, but one of the best pieces of advice I have heard is to not overthink it. Just be personal and positive and offer something of value.

I recently took an unofficial look at dealer Facebook posts in our Rural Lifestyle Dealer news feed and here are a few that stood out and engaged me at some level. Maybe you can borrow some of these ideas as you look for ways to keep your posts interesting.

  • Southern Indiana Equipment, Lanesville, Ind.: “Foggy start to this Wednesday, but no rain! Who's going to get out and do some yard work?”

Who in agriculture doesn’t like to talk about the weather? Plus, the post is upbeat and ties back to the dealership, without being a sales pitch.

  • Twin City Outdoor Equipment, West Monroe, La.: “Grasshopper AERA-VATOR and 140” Sprayer going out today. Anybody need weed control and want a healthy yard call Environmental Process 318-224-3348.”

This post highlights a sale and gives their customer a plug, too. The post included a photo of a specialized attachment, which was more interesting than just another mower shot.

There are a lot of dealer posts about open houses, but this showed off the “bounce houses” set up for kids. A rural lifestyler wants to spend time with their family on the weekend, so this post may be enough to work a dealership visit into their Saturday morning routine.

  • Great Plains Kubota, Ada, Okla.: “R-Series Wheel loader ...  don't see too many of these in the shop @GreatPlainsEdmond.”

The post and photo were an interesting way to show off what’s happening in the service department. The use of the “@” sign in front of a page or person you follow also places the post in their news feed.

  • Riesterer & Schnell, Hortonville, Wis.: “So many of you asked, here's our famous detailer Steve from the Denmark store on the field of Glory! Thanks Steve!!!

The photo showed the dealership’s employee with a tractor in the middle of the Green Bay Packers’ Lambeau Field. Mentioning a high-profile customer gives your dealership credibility. And, this post “name dropped” in a good way by recognizing an employee.

These were just random posts I pulled, but they show what a lot of you are doing right on Facebook. Many large companies have a person assigned to developing engaging posts, but you can accomplish the same result by just being friendly, moderating the sales pitch, and providing short bits of information your customers can use. Summer is a great time to boost your Facebook efforts, thanks to dealership special events and increased sales activity.

What about you? Do you have a post that generated a good amount of “likes” or “shares” on Facebook — or can be traced to a sale? Please share it in the comment section below.