For many businesses, there is a misunderstanding about how social media can generate new customers.
When it comes to social media marketing, there are believers and non believers. Let’s pretend you’re somewhere in the middle.
Below are the top five ways that social media can convert prospects into customers.
1) Sharing content from your website drives leads into your sales funnel
When you take your business online with a website, the next step is to create content for it. If you’re smart, you’re creating content on a consistent basis, tailored specifically to your audience.
Types of content includes:
- Blog posts
- E-books
- Event listings
- Industry information
- Resources
- Videos
- … and the list goes on!
When you share this targeted content, it attracts the people who are most likely to do business with you. It’s like a bumble bee getting attracted to a flower.
Once they’re on your website, you have the opportunity to lead them to a sale. Or at least begin the process of building trust which can lead to a sale later on.
2) Social media keeps you top-of-mind
The top-of-mind marketing idea has been around for as long as business has existed. It’s more prevalent now since we have the ability to connect with our prospects and current clients on a regular basis.
Social media, if it does nothing else, allows you to remain on the forefront of people’s minds. This is a beautiful thing.
The beautiful thing about it, is that even if your audience isn’t ever going to purchase anything from you, they are still more likely to recommend you to anyone they hear inquiring about what you offer.
All that is needed is to build trust by being consistent with your content and social media efforts, and in doing so you’ll remain top-of-mind and the most likely of all your competitors to get the business.
3) A social media presence shows business longevity and reliability
You will hear in most content marketing and social media marketing strategies that consistency is king.
Consistency over time shows you’re not in it for the short-term. You’re there to serve. Over and over and over again. Forever.
You also demonstrate with time that you’re an expert on your topic, and that you put your followers first by delivering content suited to solving their problems, providing what they need and fulfilling their desires.
Content + Time + Consistency + Value = Trust and Authority.
4) Social media keeps your prospects engaged, and engaged prospects buy
If you keep the conversation going long enough, and when the time comes that your prospects are looking to purchase, you’ll be well-suited to get the sale.
Not every time, but if you do the things mentioned in the above points, you’re in the right position to capitalize on the conversation.
5) Social media makes it easy for your message spread
You could run around telling 100 people about the valuable content you have created for the world. Or, you can share it on social media and put social share buttons on your website and get people to spread the word for you.
Social media has the capacity to amplify your message to the masses. The caveat is that you need to produce good content first. It needs to be about your customers and the problems they face, the needs they have and the desires they yearn for (knowingly or unconsciously).
Nobody said it’s easy — but it doesn’t need to be overly complicated either. Small nuggets of wisdom delivered regularly adds up to a whole McDonald’s meal.
Social media is the fries that make it a combo.
You’re the milkshake.
6) Social media allows you to make real connections with individual people
How many other methods of communication allow you to individually “tap” people on the shoulder and say hello? You can introduce yourself this way to the entire world, although you may want to start by being selective.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, make sure that every “tap” contains a significant amount of value. Otherwise, it’s unwanted interaction (or worse… spam).
It could be a simple compliment or a link to something that would help them with their business. As long as it provides some form of real value.
Try sending a tweet to someone, saying something like:
“Hey @kevincwhelan – your website rocks! Loved the new post about social media marketing!”
It works. You’ll at least get noticed, which makes you 100% more likely to earn some new business than if you didn’t tweet at all (and hence went unnoticed).
In conclusion
Social media marketing is as effective as the time, knowledge, and resources you put into it.
You don’t need to make it complicated. Know your audience and make it your mission to serve them.
Don’t have an audience? Strive to meet the needs of your existing and ideal clients and watch how you attract more an audience. Being 100% selfless with your content and providing value at every turn will make people want to follow you.
Don’t have a mission yet? Strive to meet the needs of your existing and ideal clients. Nothing simpler than that.
Jump in!