Turning Facebook 'Likes' into Customers

When you first think of engaging on social media, you may think of looking at funny pictures of your friends, sharing a tidbit about your life, or watching the latest funny clip on YouTube. Indeed using social media is a great way to stay connected with friends and family, but social media can also be used as an effective tool to nurture leads that convert into paying customers. In fact, according to the 2012 Social Media Marketing Industry Report, 58 percent of people using social media tools for over 3 years say social media has helped them improve their sales. Here are a few ways to use social media in order to convert your followers into paying customers.

Be the Expert

One of the best ways to obtain a new customer is to gain their trust from the get-go. Many people browsing social media sites may not be ready to purchase your product the second they see your business, but they may be interested in gathering quality information from you. Utilize social media to become their primary source for expert information in your industry. You can do this by sharing interesting blog posts, informative YouTube videos, infographics, and more. As you become their trusted source for receiving great information, you’ll be at the top of their list when they are ready to make a purchase.

Establish a relationship

Social media also allows you to establish an ongoing relationship with potential customers, which puts you leaps and bounds above competitors who simply rely on the hard sales pitch to get customers. Establish a pattern of regularly posting interesting, funny, informative, and even controversial information on your social media sights. The more you encourage your customers to engage with your business on social media sites, the more likely they are to invest in your company. Also keep in mind that customers have the ability to share your informative, funny, and controversial posts with their friends, which could foster more leads in the future.

Serve your Audience

Another great way to harvest leads from your fan base is to serve them well. Use your social media platforms to act like a real friend. This means paying special attention to your followers. For example, if one of your customers follows you, send them a direct reply thanking them for their follow with a link to something useful. If they post on your FaceBook page, don’t let that go unnoticed. Instead, reply to their post thoughtfully. Social media is also a great tool for providing excellent customer service. If one of your customers has a beef with you and chooses to display it on social media, respond positively for all to see.

Social media is a great way to gain customers by providing personalized service that goes above and beyond, and often requires full-time attention. We at Community Connection provide marketing services to local businesses including social media expertise, SEO services, and SEM services. Call us today for more information about how we can serve you.