Start the Deal with Social

Social media is quickly the go-to place for customers to research products and brands before they go to your website or open your emails. Your social media “first impression” matters.

Which company would you choose?

The company with a few random posts that were from two years ago and broken links to their site and it’s clear nobody is home?

The company that posts regularly with a decent amount of comments, likes, and shares; it seems that people are really interested and like this business.

Ignoring your social media presence signals potential customers that you probably won’t care much about them either. Customers are attracted to brands that appear to be engaged and active on social media.

Why Social Media First? 

Social media primes your customer, it builds a personal rapport and creates trust. When your customer visits your site or opens your email, they’re comfortable and ready to buy because they got to know you on social media. It creates a situation where the customer feels you’ve earned the right to ask them for the sale.

Some of you may be thinking that committing to social media seriously can be challenging and messy with all the platforms. Or you may be asking why do social media at all – who wants to hear about airplane parts or DevOps on TikTok? (You’d be very surprised!)

Others get concerned about the lack of control on what people are saying and the narrative. No, you can’t control what people say about your brand on social media. The good news is that you can get better control of your brand impression. As the saying goes, first impressions matter.

Take a Hard Look in the Mirror 

Do you see what your customers see? You want to look at your social profiles with a skeptical customer viewpoint. Even better, get “that” person who isn’t afraid to hurt your feelings to review your online profile.

Your profile should have a clean, crisp profile background and avatar. Make sure your bio matches your most current brand positioning & taglines. Include site links and other information so your profile looks complete and cared for.

Your content should be current and consistent in brand tone, color, and style. You don’t need to go crazy with expensive graphic design and professional videographers. Remove anything that is off-brand or just doesn’t fit. You want to project a brand persona that is predictable and appealing to your target audience.

Content and Engagement

Content is only one side of the social media coin. Content is talking at your audience; engagement is creating a dialogue with your future customers.

If people are engaging with your content, make sure you’re responding. Don’t post & ghost! Participate in groups where your customers are hanging out. Be active in comment threads where the conversation is happening around your market. Encourage your employees to share and engage.

Your brand on social media is a digital personality that your customers interact with. Your personality should be relatable to your audience and your market. You have some wiggle room in social media for more “personality” but you don’t want to get too far off your brand that it’s confusing or off-putting to your audience.

Build Community

This can happen on and offline. People in your online and IRL communities are also on social media. Say “yes” to those opportunities to join a panel discussion or a podcast. Encourage your employees to participate in groups and engage with posts relevant to your industry. Customers will be more inclined to engage and eventually, buy from brands who engage within the community and provide value.

The more you engage in the broader community, the more visibility your brand has on social media. Use these opportunities to showcase your brand to a much wider audience and gain that all-important social proof via other people’s content. 

Social Media + Website + Email for More Customers

We’re not knocking websites or emails – they are highly valuable and important to close the deal after your customer trusts your brand. Treat your social media presence as the inviting front door and an equally important marketing tool along with your other inbound and outbound activities. Leverage your social media presence to tell a multi-faceted and personalized story for your customers. Done well, your customer is ready to buy and receptive to that email or message. They know “who” they’re buying from.