Tips For Increasing Holiday Sales With Social Media
by Larry Kilroy (Unlicensed)
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For many businesses, social media offers an exciting new channel to engage your current customers and attract new shoppers. However, it can quickly become overwhelming when you start to think about the number of platforms available and the need to create content for that many audiences. And what content will help actually drive sales, not just add to the noise. Today we will take a look at some simple rules for using social media to drive sales this holiday season and beyond.
This most common mistake most businesses make is spreading themselves too thin by trying to promote on as many social media platforms as possible. A better approach is to focus on one or two where you think your audience (current and future customers) is. For example, your "Collector's Club" is not likely to be lurking on snapchat, but are using Instagram to share photos of their collection. You are better off crafting Instagram content and passing on the time it takes to repurpose it for Snapchat. It is worth taking 30 minute to an hour to do an informal scan of where your followers on each platform come from. Are they likely shoppers? This time surveying the landscape will pay off in sales down the road.
Turning your loyal customers into brand advocates is a great way to spread your reach. Offer your followers a discount for reposting one of your pieces of content to their followers.
Build loyalty by engaging with your followers. If a customer shares a picture on Facebook of a rare bottle they just opened, a simple "Wish we were there!" can go a long way towards them tagging you the next time they share a wine or spirits photo and exposing your brand to an even larger audience.
The best way for your store to get noticed by a new shopper is to comment or engage with an industry influencer. It Wine Advocate shares a review on Twitter for a wine you have thoughts about, share those thoughts as a response to the original post. The more your voice is part of the discussion created by influencers, the more potential customers will grow interested in what you have to say (and sell!)
If all you send out across social media is promotions and sales, you will be left with only the most hardcore shoppers as followers. Mix up your sales messages with content that adds value to the over all discussion of your industry. Share a photo of a winery you visited, or link to your latest blob post about how you thing champagne should be uncorked. Educational content, or content that gives your customers a glimpse "behind the scenes" will create an audience that will be more likely to notice when you mix in that sales or promotional post.
When it comes down to it, putting a little money into the advertising engine still is the fasted way to grow. Social media gives you so much more bang for the buck than traditional radio and newspaper advertising with the ability to micro target users with specific interests and demographics. And the reach is as big as you want it to be (or at least as big as your budget will allow!)
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