Until I learned how to harness the power of social media, business as a self-employed interior designer was slow. While immensely passionate about my work, I was tired of living life client-to-client, and if I’m being completely honest, I was tired of being in debt. I knew I had more to offer and I wanted more for my business. That’s when I when I turned to social media.
Eight years later, my blog helps me acquire new customers and generates revenue. It fuels content for my social channels, through which I am able to draw in potential new clients. They move from passive readers to engaged community members, and ultimately convert into clients.
Many small business owners use social media as a customer service tool, but the real power of social media lies in its ability to attract new customers and ultimately generate sales.
To help you on your road to success, here are a few tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way.
Be Authentic
At first, I found it daunting to blog and keep up with social media trends. I am an interior designer, not a professional writer or a social media specialist. After many sleepless nights fretting over content, I realized that my stories were falling flat because they lacked personality.
With that epiphany, I began to think of my posts as conversations between my clients and adopted a more casual tone with a lot more personality. Taking this approach allowed me to build an immediate rapport with my fans and followers.
The long-term lesson was that posts with personality are more frequently shared and lead to inquiries from clients.
Pay for Play
Social media is a crowded space. If you have something you really want to communicate, pay to promote your content. This allows you to connect with existing and potential customers. You can also track and measure the return on investment.
Putting paid behind your content opens up a range of additional features, too. For example, on Facebook, you can add “Learn More” or “Buy Now” buttons to promoted content, which will help to convert fans into customers.
Sell Subtly
As an interior designer, I’m a connoisseur of subtle. I apply this knowledge to how I interact with and sell to my social communities. If you keep tabs on your community and their comments, you will often find there are opportunities to reply while highlighting a new product or experience you have to offer.
Though a hard sell every time someone mentions something vaguely similar to your products may not always be appropriate, it can be useful to offer a purchase recommendation when you think it’s a good fit.
Turn Your Customers into Advocates
If you haven’t already, add prominent sharing links to your website, emails and blog posts. Nudging website visitors to share your content on social media is a great way to promote your products and services.
Also, feel free to suggest to your community, friends and family to comment, share, retweet or tag a friend in your content. These actions will instantly boost your visibility.
Make Buying Easy
My last point is probably the most important: make it easy for your customer to complete a purchase. All of the work you do on your blog and social channels will only pay off when you get paid. Going with an easy-to-use and trusted payment processor like PayPal or another similar business can go a long way in giving your customers the confidence to shop from your website.
Learn More
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And if you want specific questions answered for your business, make an appointment to meet with a Small Business BC Business Advisor or Small Business BC Business Plan Advisor now.