There’s a reason so many companies use social media for promoting their products and services, and it’s a really compelling one: There is a HUGE audience out there.
So many people use social media and a large proportion of those use multiple platforms, so it’s a no brainer really. If you want to extend your reach then social media channels should be part of your overall marketing and sales strategy.
Speak the lingo
Which platforms you use for your online presence depends to some degree on what you are selling and it’s worth running trials to find out the ones that get you the most traction. Different platforms require differing approaches to be successful. Your target audience and their wants and habits need to be understood.
First, take time to write your own strategy of what you want to achieve from your online presence – Sales? Loyalty? Building a community? It’s worth taking time to research the most successful companies on social media to find out how they do it.
A little blue bird did tell me…
I’m going to concentrate on Twitter for this article as it’s a platform that’s often misunderstood and quite often flagrantly abused! Used correctly, it can do wonders for your sales. If you’re looking for inspiration, see Twitter for Business’s own article on the most successful users, their objectives and how they achieved them (click HERE to read)
A chorus of approval
Get Twitter right and it can be your staunch ally in marketing. So, heed these pearls of wisdom and avoid these pitfalls to attract a flock of followers.
• To increase your sales DO NOT direct sell on Twitter. It’s a place for conversations and sharing.
• Respond, converse, share – be a real person – your brand will get more traction as a human!
• Your stuff should be brand relevant but have great variety to it – news items, insider knowledge, articles, product shots, local news, industry news, staff news, serious stuff and hilarious stuff.
• Tweet a lot and automate your Tweets (Hootsuite and Social Bro are great tools) for out of hours or if you are unavailable, because Twitter is a 24/7 beast.
• Use images as much as possible – they get more interaction.
• Put links in your Tweets to help drive traffic.
• Consider running a promotional campaign to raise awareness, traffic and sales. Also consider giving it a budget for some extra leverage and visibility.
• Don’t overdo the hashtags – it can get old and can easily trip over into being seen as ‘salesy’
Twitter, like all social media platforms is a great place to be, but the basic rule is, you cannot make sales through Twitter without building an authentic relationship with your followers. Get this right and it will serve your brand well.
