If you do not have a robust social media marketing plan for your business, you are missing out on an incredible opportunity to exponentially grow your sales. It’s not good enough to just set up a Facebook page with some contact information and photos. Yes, that will help people find your company when they’re specifically searching for you, but it will not help you actively attract new business. These five marketing tips will help you to improve your social media presence to more fully take advantage of this important marketing tool.
Tip #1 – Designate a Social Media Director
Company owners who try to manage all of their own social media are making a huge mistake. Your time is much better spent elsewhere within your business. Although you can (and often should) contribute to the program, it’s smarter to have the day-to-day functions covered by a designated person so your pages and feeds can be updated regularly, which will keep your messages fresh and in front of more eyes. If you’re located near a university or community college, consider contacting their Marketing or Mass Communications departments to request a social media marketing intern. Often, students can work part-time for your company for college credit and won’t require a salary (or much of one).
Tip #2 – Post Something Daily
The majority of people who use social media do so daily. If they’re not seeing information about your business, they’re seeing someone else’s marketing efforts instead. In order to create what marketing gurus call “top of mind awareness,” your brand needs to be presented regularly. That way, when the potential customer is ready to make a purchase, they think of you first.
Tip #3 – Think Visually
Research shows that posts that include photos and videos get substantially more likes and shares. Videos, in particular, will capture the attention of someone absent-mindedly scrolling through a news feed. Another interesting statistic is that when people hear information, they’re likely to remember only 10% of that information three days later. However, if a relevant image is paired with that same information, people retained 65% of the information three days later. (source)
Tip #4 – “Style” Your Photos
You want people who see images of your projects to be able to picture themselves living there. An empty patio may be beautifully installed with fabulous products, but that won’t create an emotional connection or inspire someone to act. If the homeowner has not yet decorated the space, get permission to temporarily decorate it for photography purposes. You may even want to consider keeping a storage unit full of styling elements like furniture, pillows, artificial plants, decorative accessories, throws, rugs, coffee cups, wine glasses, and other elements that will make the space look “lived in.” At the very least, be sure to remove any construction debris before snapping any “after” photos. Remember to publish your more artistic photos on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
Tip #5 – Cross-Market Over Multiple Platforms
There are multiple social media platforms out there, and not everyone uses social media the same way. In order to hit more people and attract more followers, market your social media pages on other forms of social media. For example, publish expert advice on outdoor living design or installation techniques on Houzz, and then share that post on your Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn feeds. Do a walk-though of a newly installed outdoor living space on Facebook Live, and then share a link to that video on Twitter. Promote your Pinterest and Houzz board on Facebook. Live Tweet the various steps of an installation in progress, and then create a before/after Facebook post with a note saying, “watch the transformation take place” and send people to your Twitter feed. And, so on.
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