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4 Ways to Improve Your Social Media Sales Strategy Starting TODAY!

When it comes to sales, social media isn’t the first place most people start when they want to sell something. We’ve, in fact, been scolded in the past for even thinking about selling on Facebook.

Can I be honest with you? We were a little too paranoid back then.

The landscape of social media is changing and the mix of brands and users has never been this large. We now realize we CAN, in fact, sell on social media - we just have to be smart about it.

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We’ve put together 4 simple tips that you can start implementing today to get your first sale through social media.

#1 Choose the Best Social Medium for Your Industry

Take the time to research different social media platforms. Search for competitors, similar business, and your industry as a whole. It should be easy to see, by the number of followers and engagement, where your biggest opportunity could be.

Real estate, for example, tends to get the most exposure and engagement through Facebook while makeup and clothing businesses tend to do better on Pinterest and Instagram.

Filling out a buyer persona of your ideal customer may also reveal where your customers spend their time. Comparing your persona’s age and gender to the demographics below can show where your ideal customers are most active and engaged.

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#2 Offer Exclusive Deals Through Facebook

Offering exclusive deals is a powerful strategy to include in your Facebook sales effort.

These offers don’t need to be huge discounts, but giving your followers a special deal proves that following you provides true value!

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Bonus: If you are offering a truly great deal the probability of sharing your offer with others on their profile is high, which could reach hundreds of people instantly!

#3 Include a Clear, Meaningful Call-to-Action

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While surfing on social media, visitors aren’t necessarily ready to be sold something and they probably won’t purchase on the spot just because they found you on your Twitter feed.

A better tactic is to direct people, with a call-to-action, to learn more about your product or service, so they may make a more informed purchase. You must also present this information in a way that offers value to potential customers and leads them to move toward a purchase.

The type of call-to-action you choose depends on your goals:

  • Looking for Referrals? Encourage people to share and retweet your pages and posts.
  • Looking for Website Traffic? Encourage people to visit your latest blog post and share it with their family and friends.
  • Looking for More Leads? Direct followers to a landing page where they can download something of value in-turn for their contact information.

Keep your goals simple and few - Remember, your goals can and will evolve over time.

#4 Avoid Over Selling

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Perhaps the biggest piece of advice we could give you - keep the sales talk to a minimum.

People visit their favorite social media channels for a few reasons: to see updates from family and friends, check out the latest news, watch funny videos, and keep updated on their favorite artist or actor. RARELY is it to research or purchase a new product.

A good rule to remember is 80% of your social media content should be sales-free.

So keep that 20% of sales posts relevant, focused on your goals, and strategically targeted at your targeted persona.

BONUS: Streamline Sales and Setup a Facebook Store!

If you’re selling a product - A great way to grow your brand and products is setting up a Facebook Store. Setting up a store allows you to sell your products right on your Facebook page! Visitors can see a list of details, photos, and even the latest store discounts!

Bones Coffee does a great job highlighting all of their products!

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Here are a few features Facebook Highlights…

  • Upload products and product information. There's no need to have a preexisting product catalog uploaded anywhere beforehand, and no cap on how many products you can upload.
  • Curate and customize your shop's product catalog. You can divide your products into different collections and create a featured products section that prominently showcases 10 products.
  • Sell directly from your Page. Once your products are uploaded, your customers can browse and buy them on any device without having to leave your Page.
  • Manage orders. Mark orders as shipped, cancel orders and refund orders without leaving your Page.
  • Run a Facebook ad to promote one of your products.
  • Get insights. See how many views, clicks and purchases each product has, and how much money each product has made you.

For now, this store feature only allows products, but services are expected to be rolled out within the next year.

Selling on social media can and should occur if you are a business. But be careful, follow best practices, and keep a watchful eye on your likes. If they drop, you are doing it wrong. But if you do it right, your Social Media Channels might just become your next best salesperson!


Download the 2016 Social Media Content Calendar [Free Template]

Keep on top of your social media strategy

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Plan your social media content and posts with this handy guide. The most efficient way to be successful with social media is to plan out the majority of your content in advance. This template provides a guide across multiple social media platforms.

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