Hi retail friends! This is Kira, the Social Media Director here at Retail Bound.
Have you ever been on a bus, in a waiting room, or maybe even at a restaurant, and noticed that everyone has their face buried in their phone? Even though this behavior can be kind of rude, it’s a pretty common occurrence. We are all constantly connected, and businesses should take advantage of that opportunity!
Social media can help connect friends and family, but it can also be a place to grow your business, tell your story, entertain customers, and so much more! Today’s companies are quickly realizing that having a social media presence can be a key factor in business branding and growth. But using social media correctly – connecting with your audience, establishing a purpose, finding a balance – can sometimes be difficult, so if you want to get ahead of the competition, you might even want to consider reaching out to a social media marketing expert such as Appiloque at appiloque.com. For now though, let’s look at some basic ways businesses can use social media.
Most companies will want to have a strong presence on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. These sites will help you create your company’s image, create a solid branding message, and keep constant interaction with your customers, peers, and mentors. Using their customizable features, you can build your brand with consistent wording and colors or images. Establishing a strong social media presence will include honest feedback from customers, open communication between your business and your audience, and entertaining or thought-provoking posts. One way to do this is through tapping into trending topics on Twitter. Sharing the thoughts of your business and joining in with popular conversations online can increase your engagement. Not sure where to begin? Start by searching for trending topics on Twitter in your area. For example, if your business is based in the Philippines, or you are hoping to target Filipino customers, then search for Twitter-Trends-Philippines to get some inspiration. These branding techniques can help engage and attract your audience, and from here you can start thinking about ways to increase sales using social media. Offering social media promotions is a very common, and successful, way to promote your products. Some businesses may go as far as looking for celebrities to help promote their company which can bring even more awareness to your brand. This idea is not as complicated as you think as a celebrity booking agency such as Lunar Talent work with some high profile celebrities who can provide you with their services to help make your business a success. You may want to try some of the other tips listed above first so you have a social media following already before looking into these services.
One promotion is offering a discount on a customer’s next purchase if they use a code posted on your social media page. This can attract more visitors to your social media pages and draw attention to new products.
Another is a contest promotion, which is a bit more complicated. For example, a contest could take place on Facebook, require a customer (a potential winner) to “Like” your page, and “Share” the post to be eligible to win. Contests should have substantial, audience specific prizes, and only run for around a week to keep interest peaked.
A third way to drive sales using social media is to create a loyalty program. This could be as simple as any customer who shares their purchase online or reviews your product can receive a discount on their purchase. This is a great way to get realistic feedback as well as market your products.
Finally, one of the best ways to drive sales using social media is by connecting with your audiences to establish a trusting relationship. This means encouraging customers to ask questions and offer opinions or another perspective. Listen to others’ input and react in a timely manner. Keeping honest and transparent will help build a loyal customer base.
For more tips on building your business visit www.retailbound.com or email info@retailbound.com.
How to Use Social Media to Increase Sales
