Sell on social media without pushing people away
5 tips and warnings for selling on social networks
Social media is one of the best marketing tools out there: you can grow and reach a large audience with content and ads, and the people who like and / or follow you are your fans, so they are already you. objective group.
However, people may be reluctant to sell on these platforms. They see sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as places to share content and interact with friends, family and, today, with brands.
You really have to approach this in the right way or you could alienate your audience, causing them to unfollow or unfollow you because they expect a two-way conversation and engaging content, not to get marketed.
It is also important to clarify that social selling does not mean advertising your product or service online so that people will buy it.
Social selling means that you are using social media to connect with sales prospects and nurture relationships to hopefully convert them into customers.
For example, I recently made a teatime tip on things to consider before starting to build your website. People could comment and ask questions in real time, and Facebook Live had a lot of information on hiring a professional web development company.
So, I wasn’t just talking to people to hire us for their website building needs; He was sharing relevant information and nurturing potential customers who might be looking for a company to help them.
Now that we’ve defined social selling, let’s take a look at what you can do to increase your chances of success:
1. Think about relationships, not dollar signs.
Make sure to post relevant non-sales content. You want to become an expert resource in your industry, so focus on adding value to your users’ feeds.
According to a study by LinkedIn, active buyers on social media welcome input from industry experts. Additionally, 76% of buyers are willing to have a conversation with potential suppliers.
Get to know your potential customers by asking them interesting questions, answering their questions in a timely manner, and responding to comments. The more trust and loyalty you build, the better your chances of turning a follower into a paying customer.
Read: The Power of Storytelling on Social Media
Once upon a time your strategy probably focused heavily on sharing links to third-party content with your audience. Well those days are over, and if you want to stand out in the crowded and noisy online environment, you need to focus on content marketing storytelling.
2. Take the time to build your accounts.
Make sure your bio and profile are filled out on all the platforms you want to use for social selling. It should include your website URL, About Us, phone number, and any other relevant contact information.
It can also help pin relevant posts, make sure your brand stands out, and have high-quality images to attract followers’ attention. Again, this builds trust and loyalty, making people feel more comfortable and confident doing business with you.
See how one of our clients, A Family Law Firm, has taken the time to not only fill out their contact information, but also the “Our Story” section on Facebook.
3. Choose your messages wisely.
What works on one platform may not work on another. Where do your potential customers hang out? Where do they talk business or look for restaurant recommendations? Generally:
* LinkedIn is more focused on business, so people are more comfortable with marketing messages there.
* Twitter has a great search feature, so you can more easily connect with potential customers and find relevant topics.
* Facebook has many communities that you can join and network (remember, don’t be pushy!)
* Instagram and Pinterest are for images, not long content pieces.
If you tailor your messaging for each platform, you are more likely to attract the right type of customer.
4. Let user-generated content sell for you.
You don’t have to do all the social selling work alone! There are so many ways to use User Generated Content (UGC) to your advantage, including:
* Contests and sweepstakes that encourage followers to share their content, hashtags and / or messages.
* Ratings or reviews of your product or service
* Testimonials
For example, J.Crew posts user ratings and reviews on their website, so when they post a dress or shirt on their social media account and someone clicks, they see other people’s votes of confidence.
User-generated content not only helps you, it helps your customers as well. Almost 80 percent of people say that UGC drives their purchasing decisions. It’s a win-win situation!
5. Try, test, and try again.
All business owners should track and measure their efforts, be it a digital newsletter or a Google AdWords campaign. Look at your data and statistics to determine what works and what doesn’t.
Maybe people are being referred to a page on your website since their Facebook post, but they only spend a few seconds on it.
You need to see why that is – is your message unclear? Bored? Is there a broken link? By tracking the routes of your visitors, you can see where you need to take a closer look.
Google Analytics is a free tool that you can use to measure your website statistics, and there are also paid tools that can help you break down and understand your data.
The more you test and adjust your sales attempts on social media, the better your ROI (and the happier your followers will be).
While social selling is different than traditional methods, it’s still about building relationships and credibility. Focus on the person behind the platform, not turning it into a sale or guiding it through a marketing funnel. Take the time to make connections and you will create a community of prospects who will appreciate hearing from you.