Are you making the most of your social media pages? Sites like Facebook and Twitter are a wonderful way to interact with existing customers, but if you use them correctly, they can also be a great source of new customers. Many local businesses don't use social media properly to attract new customers because they don't know how to go about it. So let's talk about some of the ways you can use social media to attract qualified leads to your business.
Strategy #1: Fill out your profiles completely
Many small business owners skip the step of filling out a profile, but that's a mistake. Take the time to enter your company's full name, address and phone number, write a brief description and include a link to your website. Choose a meaningful profile picture and a cover photo. The more complete your profile is, the more appealing it is to potential customers.
Strategy #2: Link your social media posts to landing pages, not your homepage
If you want to encourage a specific product to be purchased, you should place a direct link to this product. Potential customers shouldn't have to guess what they should do. If you take them directly to a page - especially one that requires them to log in to view the content - you greatly increase the likelihood that they will convert. Also, make sure that each page includes your name and address and an easy way to contact you.
Strategy #3: Sponsor a competition
This is a pretty popular strategy that's been around for a while, but it's worth mentioning because it's so effective. People who already follow you on social media are very likely to be interested in the products you're giving away. You can maximise your exposure by offering a share to those who like the post, and a second share to those who share it. Your most loyal customers will always be willing to share the post, and the shared post will bring your business closer to a whole new audience, many of whom will also be local.
Strategy #4: Use a Twitter card or pinned Facebook note to attract leads
One disadvantage of using social media is that content evaporates very quickly. This means that a call to action you post can easily get lost in the crowd - unless you pin it. On Facebook, you can write a note and pin it to the top of your page. On Twitter, you can also create a Twitter card with relevant information and pin it to the top of your profile. The advantage of pinning is that your content will remain in a highly visible place for as long as you want, increasing the number of visitors to your website - and also the number of visitors to your company.
Strategy #5: Sponsor a Google Hangout with local customers
One of the hardest parts of getting people to buy from you is overcoming the objections they hear in their head. If you have the opportunity to speak to them directly, you can easily dispel these concerns. A Google Hangout is a great way to do this. Set up a Google Hangout appointment through your Google+ or Google My Business account. Your Hangout can be a roundtable discussion with potential customers or even a live Q&A with people online. The advantage of such live online events is that you can interact directly with customers and also post the Hangout for those who couldn't be there to watch later.
Strategy no. 6: Use geographical target groups for your social media adverts
Advertising on social media is a cost-effective option for local businesses. One of the best reasons to invest in paid social media advertising is that you can easily target your adverts to people who are in your geographical area and are interested in your products.
The advantage of this type of targeting is that you do not have to pay for clicks and leads that are not relevant. Your advert will only be seen by people who are in your area. On Facebook, you also have the option to sponsor a post and target your followers and their followers. Geographic targeting is not as narrow as location-based targeting, but chances are that a high percentage of your followers' friends are also in your area.
Strategy No. 7: Use whisper codes to increase the number of visitors to your shop
If you own a brick-and-mortar business, it can be difficult to figure out who is responding to your social media marketing efforts. One way to determine your ROI is to send out a "whisper code" to your followers. A whisper code is basically a verbal coupon. Instead of sending a barcode that needs to be scanned, give your customers a word or phrase they can whisper to receive a free offer in return.
The benefit of whisper codes is that you can track your social media campaigns to find out if they are working. Chances are, any customer who comes into your shop expecting to get something for free will end up buying more than they otherwise would have.
Strategy No. 8: Use social media to promote events and appearances
Local people come to local events. If your business sponsors a local event or if you regularly sell at a farmer's market, use social media to get the word out. Remind people of the hours, let them know what you'll be selling, or even invite them to stop by and get a free sample.
A similar pro tip is to interact with other local businesses and look for ways to cross-promote your products. To take the farmers market example again, a local baker could team up with a dairy to get people to buy both bread and butter. If you each promote your own product as well as the other's, you can increase footfall on the day of the event - and potentially gain some new social media followers too!
Strategy No. 9: Use Facebook's "Call Now" function to address mobile users
When you advertise on Facebook, you have the option to target mobile users by including a "Call Now" button in your advert. The button allows mobile users to call you directly by touching the button instead of having to search and dial your number. This is a great way to encourage contact and give you the opportunity to speak directly to a prospect.
Social media strategies can vary from business to business, but the strategies listed here will help you make the most of the time and effort you put into your social media campaigns.
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