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| Peter Okolie |
Very often, I receive questions from people that desire to know how they can turn their digital presence to profit. A few of them have created websites and have made efforts to be visible on social media platforms. I observed a common reason why many of them are not making money from these social media marketing efforts and, interestingly, it can be easily remedied.
Social media marketing refers to the process of gaining website traffic or attention through social media sites. Social media marketing programmes usually centre on efforts to create content that attracts attention and encourages readers to share it with their social networks. It is very important because, as I explained in a previous piece, any system that brings people together has the potential to create wealth.
Social media marketing is good, but it is the selling of your products, services and ideas that brings in the desired reward. Why spend so much resource on marketing without making adequate preparation for sales? It is like praying for the rain and not having a bucket to fetch the water when it comes pouring.
Most people create a digital presence and stop at social media marketing, not knowing that social media marketing will remain a ‘potential force’ until it is aimed at ‘closing the deal’.
In this piece, emphasis is on how to rake in profit, how to move from social media marketing to social media selling. These simple steps will help move you from social media marketing to social media selling.
Carry out an audience analysis
It is important that you consider the external factors that will impact on your transition; one of such factors is your audience, the people to whom you are making the offer. As you relate to your potential customer, several questions must come to your mind: Whom am I communicating with? What do I want them to know? What is the most effective way to compose and present my offer? What do they want? Can my offer satisfy their needs? How much is fair and affordable?
Your answers to these questions will influence every decision you make along the way.
Keep your message simple
When you design a social media strategy with the intent of making profit, it is important that you keep it simple. Clear text and relevant images will be of great value here. I have had to consult for individuals that desired a social media strategy. I observed in discomfort as these people poured their entire language dexterity and skills into a single advertorial and in the end, the message was badly communicated in a language that required a dictionary to decipher.
My advice has always been the same: “Keep the message simple.’’ People pay attention to messages that they can understand easily. Use fewer words that communicate the idea completely. It doesn’t have to be elaborate to be efficient. Make it relevant, short and, most of all, simple.
Focus on benefits
This cannot be over emphasised. I see this all the time, especially with technical products. The marketer is so carried away by what the product can do and he/she talks about features rather than benefits. For instance, rather than tell a potential customer that a laptop runs on a dual-core process, 3 GB ram and 520 GB disk space, it would be better to say the laptop processor speed is very fast, can store over 500 movies and thousands of songs and pictures. Why not say a shoe will last 15 years rather than saying the shoe is made from elephant skin. Don’t forget that we have mentioned that it is important to keep your message simple. Focus on benefits not features.
Call for action
This last step is what qualifies you for a reward. Sometime ago, after reading through an advertorial, I wondered what reaction the addresser had anticipated. It is important that you begin by carrying out an audience analysis, keep the message simple and focus on the benefits of your offer, but this last step is the icing on the cake; call for action.
What do you want the people to do? If you want them to call, say it! If you want them to buy, state how! Whatever the reaction you want from your audience, call for it.
In conclusion, there is one personal skill that may be the most important in moving from social media marketing to social media selling: that is resilience, your ability to bounce back after a setback. You might not get it right the first time, but be resilient enough to implement the strategy discussed herein and in a short time, your marketing will turn into sales. Act quickly on this information and kindly contact me via email with your comments, questions and suggestions.
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