Working for a direct sales company gives you the opportunity to brand yourself in a new way. While it’s nice to have the company’s name behind you, your success and sales depend on how you can attract new customers and how you create an online persona of your own.
Blogging and social media are the best way to bring new customers through your door and communicate with existing clientele. There are a lot of different ways you can use social media and blogging as a means to grow your exposure, create a sticky persona, communicate with your audience, and sell your products online.
Here are some quick tips to do all of the above.
1. Know Your Audience
Before you can start to create any type of content online you need to know your audience. And I mean, really, really know them. Who is your customer? What makes them tick? What do they like? What do they hate? How can your product or service help them. By gaining a deep understanding of who they are, you will be able to communicate with them better.
2. Find Your Audience
It doesn’t make any sense to try to connect with your audience on a platform they don’t use. That’s a waste of time and resources for you. And that is definitely something you can’t afford. Think about where your audience spends their time. Are they on Facebook? Twitter? LinkedIn? Pinterest? Google+? Or maybe they are on a niche site that is directly related to your product and their lifestyle. You are going to get the most bang for your buck when you communicate with them where they are and how they like to be communicated with.
3. Blog, Blog, Blog
Now that you have an understanding of your audience and where they hang out, it’s time to create content on your own site. Because your blog is a way to capture leads, you should be blogging as much as you can. If you don’t have time, don’t worry, we can handle that for you.
Your blog should talk to your customers and potential recruits, talk about your products so that you can sell them online with a click of a button, and showcase your persona to give the viewer a reason to buy from you or through your links. The more likable you can be on your blog, the more likely you are to make a sale. People buy from people they like. Bottom line.
4. Create A Social Presence
Now that you have your blog set and ready to bring in those leads, you need to share the content on your social sites. Your social presence is the online version of you. It’s real-time, which means it should mimic a customer being with you and interacting with you in real life.
Beyond the social sharing you can use social media to showcase different products, create and share videos, promote testimonials and really tap into the customers psyche. Social sharing is invaluable and should represent you at your best.
Because social media for direct sales is a complex arena, you need to think about how you can use it to connect with as many people as possible. Think about using Instagram to bring images to life, Vine to connect with your audience and provide customer service in real time , and YouTube for product reviews, testimonials, and longer videos. Think about using Facebook in a way that connects with people’s mindset while on the site. Many times people are being nosy and snooping around. If you are selling B2B products, think about how you can add value and tap into a professional mindset by sharing and interacting there.
Remember that each network has its own set of rules, and if you want to really make an impact you have to follow those rules.
6. Use Email Marketing
Email marketing is one of the most valuable tools you can use. Because it allows you reach a customer in their inbox, you can stay in front of your prospects and customers much longer. Believe it or not, email marketing is not dead, it’s just getting started. Not only does email marketing influence purchases, it also influences repeat purchases.
7. Listen Online
People are probably already talking about your products and services. In the social media age this is done in public and online. By listening to keywords like your name, your product or other touching points, you have the opportunity to open up conversations and build relationships. If you don’t know what I mean by this, read my tips for social listening article series here.
Social Listening Part 1
Social Listening Part 2
Social Listening Part 3
8. Empower Your Customers To Refer
Set up a refferal campaign to get customers bringing their friends in the door. This can be in the form of a discount, a percentage of sales or even free items. Not only does this open up your referrals on a local level, but it can also open up referrals on a global level.
9. Use Google+ For Shopping Parties
Many direct sales companies encourage in-home shopping parties. But why limit that to offline only. Google Hangouts can be used to interact in real-time via video. Many larger companies are experimenting with shopping via video and you should too.
These tips will increase your online presence, increase your website traffic, and help you close more deals. What would you add to this list?
