When a business finds new lead generation lacking it may be simply because people can’t see it clearly.
Presence is everything in business, especially today, and every business needs to be seen to be successful
Great ideas come from knowing your customers, and being knowledgeable and open to the ways in which they respond.
Enter social media marketing. We all know it’s a necessary vehicle for modern-day business, and while some business owners might shy away from it, it’s generally because how to use it correctly remains a mystery.
Love it or hate, social media is here to stay.
So, what kinds of social media marketing ideas can you use to help to increase your online presence?
Let’s start with some thoughts to get you underway.
Open Communication with Your Customers
By creating and building on greater communications within your audience creates trust and generates a high potential for repeat buyers.
It is this communication that can lead your existing audience to introduce others to your community, with not much effort required on your part.
In days gone past, it was likely referred to as “word of mouth”
So how do I have more open communication on my social media platform?
Firstly, recognize the importance of people being the backbone of your business and that they need to hear from you in order for you to be seen better.
How?
Choose “one-to-one” communications through targeted posts, direct responses, and private messaging for that personal interaction. Or, you may choose to use “one-to-many”, as in the form of content and sharing business posts and happenings for all to see.
The aim here is for the audience to receive continuous and specific, personal contact from you.
Do they know what you can offer? Do they know you are a problem-solving wiz?
Tell them.
Using Multiple Social Media Channels
Greater presence means expanding visibility, and in the case of social media marketing, you may not be using the available platforms to your advantage.
Many businesses like to stick to what they know, with one or two platforms seen as enough to have the bare minimum expected, but consider using those which can expand your presence. Considering the inclusion of outlets previously thought to be only for a certain audience or buyer persuasion can welcome a new type of audience into the fold.
Yes, there are some, for example, Instagram who may be all about beautiful food photographs, and families sharing their ways to live life healthier, but there’s the thing. It’s the challenge of creating amazing content that may actually benefit your business.
Pinterest has a following of people attracted to beautiful imagery, but they too are consumers.
Facebook once may have been a find-long-lost-friends app but is now an excellent vehicle for businesses to share their products and engage with a market through more personal means.
Yes, it’s a commitment to have multiple channels needing attention, but each has its differences, nuances, and benefits.
Use them wisely.
We Buy with Our Eyes
We may eat with our eyes, but we also buy with them.
Visual candy is an enticer, an engagement, and offers a great deal of appeal to existing and potential customers.
It can be a one-off breathtaking image, or a more common interlude on your channels but should never be forgotten on your social media marketing to-do list.
Imagine what you could do if you knew for sure that people respond better to visual stimuli than to text?
Well, get planning digital marketers, because it’s a fact.
Consider videos. Adding videos to your media can not only add interest but can make your business seem more alive and tangible. Interviews with top industry figures can skyrocket your trust levels, and a how-to video for a product’s use can help customers immensely by not having to go to another source (likely your competitor).
Don’t stress. No one is expecting your team to become Steven Spielberg overnight, but it will be fun to try.
Different platforms are used for visual means more than others. Pinterest, as an example, is a go-to for all things bright and colourful.
If You’ve heard the expression “Pinterest-worthy”, or Insta-worthy spending an hour trawling through either and you know the reason.
Enhance Your Engagement
Content has a lot to do with it. Target people’s pain points, their experiences and don’t be afraid to include content that stirs them up, makes them laugh and excites them about their next purchase.
Collaborate. Get other people and your advocates on board.
How?
Use trending influencers, or industry heavyweights. Using your network to improve social media presence shows that you put your money where your mouth is. The goal with this one action is to instill a mindset of “If these kinds of people trust your business, then I guess I should too”.
What people or customers love your business? Ask them to appear or have an interview directly with you. Talk about their experiences. Chances are, they are just like everyone else’s. Does your business have awards or achievements? Advertise them. Publicly announcing these types of accolades creates trust.
Probably one of the scariest things for businesses to do is to ask for feedback
Add affiliate comments or a post on “What Our Clients Are Saying About Us”
Consider Ad Investment
Consider paid ads to enhance interest in your business.
Using social media potential in this way means greater returns can be maximized and who knows, you may even reach more people than you ever thought.
Ads can also organically lead to increased traffic to your site. This is where all your buyer personas come into play. Target specific buyers through ads served specifically at just the right times to alert them to your product or promotion.
These are all things you can do to focus more on your social media marketing. Don’t forget to give each aspect of your strategy equal time. There’s no point in neglecting one thing over the other; it is a counter-intuitive and false economy.
Social media can be daunting for some business owners, but it need not be. With our help we can assist in growing presence, target specific buyers with well-crafted content and grow your presence both in social media platforms and online. Contact us today for a conversation about how to get started.