How Smart Businesses Use Simple Image Posts to Attract New Customers
Brought to You By: Dominus Owen Markham
© 2022 Dominus Owen Markham. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any informational storage or retrieval system without the expressed written, dated and signed permission from the author.
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Table of Contents
Part 1: New World Marketing. 7
4 primary reasons why the traditional marketing methods you may be using no longer work. 7
Part 2: Social Media Posting Is A Much Better Way. 10
Why Social Posting works so well 11
What Businesses Can Benefit the Most 14
Part 3: The Must-Do’s of Social Posting Success. 15
The Ten Things You Must-Do. 15
INTRODUCTION
The world of marketing has changed. Traditional methods no longer work. And your business is feeling it.
You know there is money to be made. Your business is solid and your customers happy. But you just can’t seem to grow your business.
There is only one reason for this.
You are not reaching your target audience.
If you are not using social media tools and advertising to grow your business, you are missing out on a huge opportunity.
- [1]There are 4 billion social media users worldwide.
- 2.74 billion of those are Facebook users.
- 1 billion Instagrammers.
- Twitter has 353 million monthly tweeters.
- 303 million LinkedIn networkers, businesses, and individuals.
- And 459 million active users on Pinterest.
- U.S adults spend an average of 2.25 hours a day on social media.
- Facebook users click on 12 Facebook ads on average every month.
- 81% of people use Instagram to research products and services.
- 54% of people use social media to research products.
Over 70% of people who have a positive experience with a business on social media will recommend that business to their networks.
AND THAT INCLIDES THE PEOPLE IN YOUR LOCAL AREA!
That is a whole lot of untapped potential for your business outside your front door. But if you’re not using social media posting to attract and engage customers, you’re losing out to the people who are.
Consumers have changed the way they buy.
Someone buying a product or service is more likely to Google it or check social media, than go through their drawer of flyers or check their local directory listings.
The internet and technology have revolutionised the way your customers shop.
If you want your business to grow, you’re going to need some decent online marketing.
Active social media users need to be entertained.
They like to get to know you. See into your world. Receive information not only about your products, but how those products can change their lives. They need daily contact, and reminders that you are thinking of them.
Traditional marketing is dead, but your business doesn’t have to die with it.
Social media posting will allow you to:
- Increase awareness of your brand
- Present the face and values of your brand
- Become a market leader
- Stay visible
- Increase lead generating traffic
- Boosts Sales
- Increase audience reach
- Promote Site Content
- Increase your chances of “Going Viral”
- Manage your reputation
- Keep customers and audience engaged
- Learn more about your customers motivations, needs and desires
- Monitor your competition
- Target your ideal customers with the click of a button
- Retarget your prospects
- Track and Analyse Performance Easily
Sounds like an overwhelming task, doesn’t it?
It doesn’t have to be…
Contact our team for support and to answer any questions you may have.
We can discuss the best ways to get you started with social media posting.
PART 1: NEW WORLD MARKETING
Marketing has changed because the way that customers buy has changed.
54% of social media users will research services and products using their social media accounts.
In the fast-paced world of instant access to everything customers are no longer waiting to be sold to. If they see or hear something that interests them, they will head to Google to check it out. If they want or need a service or product they will look to others in their social networks for recommendations.
And all of this is done on the go – 91% of social media users access their accounts via their mobile devices.
So, your new world consumer is distracted and multitasking already. Traditional marketing methods simply don’t serve as attention grabbing enough.
But this is not the only reason your efforts are not wielding you results.
4 primary reasons why the traditional marketing methods you may be using no longer work.
#1 – There’s a New World in Marketing
Gone are the days of using direct mail and sales pitches to create brand awareness, attract customers and grow your business.
Consumers no longer need a sales agent to educate them on their brand or product. They have the internet for that, and the new world consumer wants to check out your site, services, and products themselves before they are ready to make a purchase.
Your new world customer is also a lot more interested in what others have to say about your services and products.
Statistics show that over 70% of people who have a positive experience with a business on social media will recommend that business to their networks.
#2 – Consumers Hate Traditional Marketing
Today’s consumer finds traditional marketing methods invasive and interrupting. Billboards, cold calls and ads are designed to be exactly that.
Traditional marketing methods and ads were all about stopping people in their tracks, appealing to their emotions, and tapping into the cultural psyche.
A TV ad is about 1 minute long. Not long right? But when you consider that the average attention span is 7 seconds, it is a bit on the long side.
Let’s talk about TV ads for a minute. They are designed to interrupt normal TV viewing. And that is one main reason millennials don’t watch TV anymore. Smart TVs and internet connections mean there is no need to endure the interruption of TV ads.
And herein lies the problem. People don’t like to be interrupted. They are busier and have great resources at their fingertips to research brands and services they want.
People want to be in control of how and where they find information about your products and services.
They don’t want to be “bothered”. They want to do it themselves.
Make friends with them.
Gain their trust.
Get to know them better.
Then you will know what you need to do to get them to buy what you are selling.
#3 – Traditional Marketing is To Unpredictable
Traditional methods of marketing can be hit and miss when it comes to targeting the correct audience. Placing ads in newspapers and putting up billboards, targets no one in particular.
They are targeting everyone in the hope that some of your audience will see it. Without a doubt traditional marketing methods are costing you more money, time and manpower.
Because they are not specifically targeting your audience, sales are falling down the cracks.
#4 – Tracking ROI Is Hard
Traditional marketing makes tracking and analysing your Return On Investment (ROI) and target audience reach, challenging. Unless you have deep pockets accurately tracking where your money is going and how successful your marketing strategies are, can be almost impossible.
Using an analytics program is easy with social media posting if you know how.
Analytics software will allow you to track your success, identify areas of improvement and tap into your audience needs, wants, and trends.
Part 2: Social Media Posting Is A Much Better Way
Social media posting is a powerful, fast and cost-effective way of targeting and reaching prospects and keeping in touch with customers.
Using social media posting to grow your brand and market your products and services involves harnessing the powerful influence of social media platforms.
But setting up a business account and posting casually won’t cut it. You will need to develop an evolving, responsive strategy to meet your goals.
Social media posts will allow you to disperse detailed information about your services, products, and business – including links to any website, landing pages or sales page.
Posts should provide information on topics that are of interest to your customer base, and should appeal to their interests, motivations, and emotions.
Social media posting allows thousands of potential customers in your local area to be targeted at the same time with the click of a button. But they won’t be random. Social media platforms allow you to find those people who will be interested in what you have to say and more inclined to follow your Call To Action.
Social media posting allows you to directly engage with your customer base and allows you to get feedback on new products and services, ideas of possible gaps in the market and the ability to fix customer complaints as they arise.
Social media posts can go viral fast and may lead to huge lead and sales generation.
Encouraging customers to give testimonials and recommendations will allow you to build a positive reputation quickly.
Becoming active on social media platforms will also allow you to keep up with industry updates. Industry leaders are all over social media posting. Being present in the realm of social media means keeping up with trends, changes and updates easily.
Possibly one of the most lucrative aspects of social media posting as a marketing strategy is the ability to retarget your audience.
Why Social Posting works so well
Social media platforms are synonymous with building trust, making connections, and developing relationships.
If you are engaging and connecting with your audience on social media, you are one step closer to gaining their trust and generating sales.
Social media posting is effective for 3 reasons.
1: Daily Contact and Wide Reach
Most social media users visit their social media accounts daily, sometimes multiple times per day.
- 73% of Facebook users visit their accounts daily.
- 81% of Instagrammers use their accounts to research products and services. And half of these users have bought a product or service after seeing it appear on their feed.
- Around 99% of Twitter users have one other active social media account.
This is a massive benefit to the growth of your business, because it allows cross platform posting and message repetition.
It’s a great way to make it very difficult for customers not to notice you.
2: Recommendations, Reviews and Feedback
76% of Twitter users are likely to recommend a business after friendly service from them.
80% of people on Twitter have mentioned a business or brand in a tweet.
Social media platforms elicit positive emotions.
90% of Pinterest users described the platform as “an online oasis” and 8 out of 10 users associated the platform with positive emotions.
3: Social Media Gets You Noticed and Consumers Buying
On Pinterest alone, 95% of Pinners have used Pinterest to plan for or make a purchase.
Also, 52% of Pinterest users have seen something on Pinterest and then made a purchase online.
4: The Best Social Media Platforms to Use
The infographic below from Pixel.com explains the differences between the social media platforms well.
Each social media platform is different and prioritises different methods of message delivery.
To take full advantage of social media’s power and influence you need to engage with your audience across multiple platforms.
Not only does this ensure no stone is left unturned, but it also minimises lost leads and sales.
Facebook – I want to tell you about…
Facebook accounts for 60% of all social media users, with 2.74 billion daily active users. This makes Facebook the best platform to get started with.
With Facebook you can stream live events, post images, videos and text. This platform is all about thoughts, feelings, and opinions. Users are more open to engaging, reading, and digesting longer-form content.
Instagram- Here’s a photo of…
Instagram uses images and photos to grab audience attention. Users want to experience your product or service through a photo.
Successful marketing on Instagram requires images that elicit an emotional response.
Twitter – Just Tell Me…
Twitter users are more interested in updates, news and facts that are delivered in short, to the point tweets.
Any content posted here should be no more than 130 characters, otherwise you’ll lose your audience’s attention.
Think headlines as opposed to longer informational posts. Twitter allows you to post images and videos with text.
Using hashtags on Twitter is essential to attract attention.
LinkedIn – Here’s What I Can Do For You…
This platform is where businesses and professionals sell their skills, products and services to networks, individuals and other businesses. This platform is perfect for B2B selling.
For this reason, posts on LinkedIn need to cater to a more sophisticated and professional audience.
You will need to sell your skills and services in the context of how these can help your prospects achieve their goals and be successful.
Pinterest – Be My Missing Piece…
Users on this platform are about planning, resourcing, and creating. Pinterest is primarily image-based.
When using this platform, you can categorise your products and services putting them all in one place for discovery.
Users are looking to complete projects and are on the lookout for their missing piece.
If your product or service is in the correct category, you are opening yourself to massive sales.
Google Business Profile – The Digital Business Directory
Google Business Profile allows you to list your business on Google. This leads to greater visibility online when people are searching for products and services matching your category.
It’s not enough just to set up your profile though. To access, customize, manage, and enhance your Business Profile on Google, you will also need to set up a Google Business account.
Your Google Business profile will need to contain all the details needed for someone to be able to find your business and identify if it is the right one for them.
My team and I have the expert knowledge to help you with all of this!
What Businesses Can Benefit the Most
Social media has killed some businesses – travel agencies, book and music stores and DVD rental businesses can’t compete in the digital age.
Social media posting can benefit every type of business. But some have achieved notoriety because of social media.
Small businesses like yours are bound to benefit significantly from the inexpensive, effective and far-reaching social media tools.
Whatever your industry, accessing the large local social media audiences will benefit you.
PART 3: THE MUST-DO’S OF SOCIAL POSTING SUCCESS
The Ten Things You Must-Do
1. Get To Know Your Audience
Using social media will allow you to get to know your audience so that you are in a better position to understand what makes them tick, and what makes them buy.
2. Make Your Brand Identity Clear
Your social media audience is all about branding and your brand’s identity is key to being noticed by the people who matter.
3. Develop a Content Strategy
To be successful with social media you need to have a plan. You can’t just post randomly when you feel like it. There needs to be consistency, relevance and thought in your posting schedule.
4. Build Credibility and Trust
For your prospects to become paying customers, they need to trust you and your products and services.
[2]In a recent study 35% of respondents said ‘trust in brand’ was among the top three reasons influencing their decision to shop at a particular retailer. While 14% said brand trust was their main influence after price.
This study also demonstrated that consumers are more likely to buy if they see positive opinions and feedback about a product or service. The most surprising thing is that it didn’t matter if these people were strangers or life-long friends. People’s opinions of you and your products and services matter.
If your customers don’t hear how great you are from others or you don’t keep them well informed, they won’t buy from you.
To build solid credibility and trust, you will need to:
- Sharing quality content
- Nurturing interactions
- Encouraging user-generated content, feedback and reviews
- Using trustworthy links in your posts
- Provide “behind the scenes” videos, images and information
- Share your social values
- Get others advocating your brand
- Post daily
5. Post daily
With a potentially huge audience who log into their social media accounts multiple times per day, it is important to be consistent.
Daily posts make sure your products and services stay in the minds of your prospects.
Because you have got to know them, built their trust, and tapped into their emotions, when they are ready, they will make their purchase.
6. Track and Analyse
Digital marketing makes this so easy you have no excuses whatever the size of your business.
7. Use an Inbound Approach
Social media posting should not seek to sell to your audience.
You want to woo them, add value to their lives and businesses, and enrich their customer experience.
Post content that is useful and engaging to your audience and that they want to see more of.
8. Don’t Get Overwhelmed
Social media posting is a full-time job. Your to-do list is already as long as your arm. But growing your business is the only way forward that makes sense.
If you start thinking about your to-do list, then you will never even get started.
Here are some things you are going to need to do to grow your business and keep your sanity intact.
9. Delegate
One of the great things about social media posting is that it’s possible to delegate.
You will need to create the posts. But its highly likely, that you simply don’t have the time.
And if you do have the time, do you have the marketing skill or know-how?
If the answer is no, then call me!
I can help craft valuable posts that will engage, captivate, and convert.
10. Have a Strategy
To take your business to the next level using social media posting you’re going to need a solid strategy.
Putting it simply, there is a lot to do to get ready for your businesses’ future success. And you don’t have to do it alone. We can help.
PART 4: THE WAY AHEAD
The world has changed.
Business had changed.
People have changed.
And not just because of Covid-19.
So… if you want your business to thrive, you have to change the way you attract new customer too.
When it comes to marketing, it’s not enough to rely on ‘what worked before’.
You have to embrace the new way.
And that means Social Media.
A proper, well thought out Social Media Strategy is the future for growth.
Ignore it at your peril. (Your competitors won’t.)
Embrace it and enjoy the ride.
But it’s hard.
Maybe even impossible for you to do properly without help.
It’s not even about how hard you work at it.
Or how much effort you put in.
If you’re focussed on the wrong things, you risk getting overwhelmed and burned out.
How We Can Help
We have the knowledge and the expertise, not only to write all your social media posts, create the graphics and even post to the various platforms every day.
Which means…
More targeted exposure…
more clicks…
more customers…
and more money for you and your business…
Leaving you more time for your family, for your business and for doing the things you love.
Call/Contact us today and let’s plot this journey together.
