Social media is more than a traffic and engagement driver. It's also one of the best ways to sell more products and increase sales.
Sure, it takes time to build trust with your audience, but as you do, that trust turns into motivation to buy. To do that, you need a comprehensive solution. Instead of one-off tactics, you align sales with marketing goals.
And that's what I talk about in episode 20 of the Brand Authority Podcast. Listen in as I share a few ways to use social media to sell more products. Plus, learn how to turn that momentum into a revenue-generating snowball effect.
Subscribe to Brand Authority Podcast on iTunes
Highlights from episode 20
1. Promote your product or service (the right way)
Social media is the perfect place to make connections and share with the world who you are, what you do, and who you help. However, if all you share is promotional content, you'll lose audience interest fast. That's why you need to intermix your promotional posts with those that bring value to your audience.
For example, earlier this year, I released a Goal Setting Guide. If all I did was promote that, my audience would soon lose interest. If, on the other hand, I share insightful ways of how other people are creating goals within their business, and combine that with my downloadable - that's value!
14% of people who have goals are 10x more successful than those without goals. Get started today and set your 2018 goals!
Grab this guide to set goals that actually create results: https://t.co/riOJBLlH2f pic.twitter.com/ysvvu8Ayra— Rebekah Radice (@RebekahRadice) January 6, 2018
Take the time to think about your product and the outcome you're creating. Then, come up with creative ways to mix value with promotion.
2. Build an email list
Not everybody who reads your social media posts will be ready to buy. That's where email marketing comes in. It helps you nurture those relationships into paying customers.
Pairing social media with email marketing is a way to move people off social channels and into a more personalized conversation. Once they're on your email list, you can nurture that relationship over time. Share relevant information that aligns with the reason they signed up.
For example, they opted in after clicking through a tweet about Facebook Ads. Once they're on that list, don't make the mistake of sharing anything and everything.
Create an email workflow that shares past blog posts, downloads, podcasts, and other items of value around that topic. The key is retaining their attention by moving them further into your funnel.
3. Create and sell informational products
If you've cultivated a social media following that views you as an authority, your next step is creating and selling an informational product. This can be an ebook, online course, online event, or any number of digital items.
Whatever you decide to create, know that it doesn't have to take a long time and you don't have to create it from scratch. An easy way to decide on a topic is to go back and look at your top-performing content. You can also use Google Analytics, Google Console, or tools like Buzzsumo to find topics that your audience loves.
Better yet, just ask your audience what they want from you. Crowdsourcing and gaining instant feedback from your social media followers gives you invaluable insight into what they want, need, and will eventually buy.
4. Affiliate marketing (products you don't have to Create)
If you've built a loyal audience that trusts you, affiliate marketing might be the right revenue solution for you. Think about the tools you use on a daily basis. Would you be comfortable promoting them on your blog, social networks, and so on? If the answer is "yes," see if they have an affiliate marketing program. From there, you'll sign up, get your special URL, put together a marketing campaign, and then earn a commission for every sale.
I suggest you only promote the tools and products you use yourself and know to be beneficial. Be transparent and tell your followers that it's an affiliate promotion but that you'd never recommend something you don't already use. Nothing creates distrust faster or puts a wedge between you and your audience, like dishonest or disingenuous motives.
5. Sponsored posts for relevant products
Last but not least, if you don't have a product of your own or find affiliate marketing difficult to pitch, sponsored posts might be a way to go. This revenue stream can also be a nice complement to everything I've mentioned above.
If you've worked to cultivate a loyal online community, companies might want to work with you to expand their reach into your market. Dependent on the type of content (blog posts vs. social posts), the price will vary. But just like affiliate marketing, you must be very careful in who you choose to promote. Anybody and everybody is not a strategy, it's a desperate revenue tactic and your audience will sniff that out a mile away.
Be picky in who you partner with, just as the company that chooses to work with you should be. And remember, what want from you isn't all about the numbers. Companies are not necessarily looking for someone with a huge following. What they want is someone with an active community - people with the authority to get others to take action.
Use a tool like IZEA (free to signup) to connect with companies looking to sponsor. Once registered, IZEA will place you with companies that have a relevant need.
Final thoughts
I've shared 5 strategies to sell more products on social media, but don't worry. You don't need to tackle them all at once. Start with one, implement it, and then add on. Whatever you choose, remember that "promotion" and social selling are not dirty phrases. Don't be shy!
Give yourself permission and freedom to sell your product and services, and go for it! Want to learn more?
Subscribe to the Brand Authority podcast
People, Brands, and Resources Mentioned:
Want to View on YouTube Instead?
About Rebekah Radice
Rebekah Radice, co-founder of BRIL.LA, has traded narcissism for purpose. When not driving growth, you'll find her tricking family into thinking she's Emeril Lagasse - likely covered in marinara. The spotlight was fun, but impact is better. These days she's using 20+ years of brand brilliance for good.