Back when I was in school, our marketing professors used to tell us that our goal was to create advertising that evoked emotion. The best, most memorable ads did one of three things: make you laugh, make you cry, or scare the hell out of you.

I think those rules stand true today. Especially when you think about social media tools like Facebook.

Facebook is a mini-advertising platform, and the response you’re after is a like, a comment, or a share. These mini-ads that you create on Facebook are not ads containing a hard-sell. Instead, they are a subtle reminder that you are there, still kicking, and you are relevant.

If I could change this list of proven techniques, I’d remove the last one. There’s no reason to scare the hell out of anyone on Facebook. Instead, I would focus on the first one. Make ’em laugh. Evoke laughter, and chances of a “like” grow exponentially. Garner more likes, and your post appears on more of your followers timelines.

Making people laugh is easier than you think:

• Look for humor in the daily activities. Irony works well, too.
• Listen for things your customers say that make you laugh on the inside. As long as you don’t name them, you can get away with quoting them with an “overheard in the bookstore” post.
• Listen for laughter. Then follow it.
• Look for small things. Little people. Little bikes outside the store. Big people on little chairs.
• Finally, look at your post. Can it be rewritten for better timing? Can the “punchline” be moved to the end? Is it too wordy? Too many prepositional phrases? Can it be winnowed down to the perfect post? Even though these posts are typically read silently in someone’s head, they should be crafted to be read aloud.

Put some “ads” out there on Facebook. Stay relevant and top of mind. Then when someone needs a book, you’ll be ready for them.