Social networks such as Twitter and Facebook are all the rage. Two years ago, people still denounced these services as a gimmick for young people. Nowadays, people from all ages and social stratums discover the new possibilities of online interaction. And more and more companies make use of social networks to promote their products and services. But how exactly does the sales initiation with Facebook, Twitter & Co. work?
First of all: Forget about traditional marketing rules!
In order to realize the potential of social networks for companies in its full extent, marketers have to throw old marketing rules overboard and understand the unwritten rules behind the social web.
Marketing in social networks doesn’t mean to create advertising messages and to blast them out to your target group. If you want to use the social web as a successful marketing channel you rather have to meet your audiences’ needs, you have to listen to your customers, answer their questions, involve them in the communication around your brand, and most importantly, to offer added value!
Thus, the old marketing monologue becomes a dialogue, a dialogue with your target group and existing customers. There is only one way to build a relationship with your customers and a loyal community in the social web: by listening and talking and engaging! If you heed this advice you may well have turned single observers into devoted advocates who recommend your products to their friends and peers. There is no better marketing weapon!
On Facebook and Twitter you have to stop thinking “advertising campaigns”. It’s all about the interaction with your audience! In the long run, this results in benefits that a company could barely achieve through conventional advertising methods.
Social networks promote customer loyalty
Studies say that 76% of consumers trust in what their peers recommend. Only 15% believe in advertising. A study by the Harvard business review concludes that customers who are a member of a Facebook Page rather take advantage of your products or services than customers who were contacted through traditional marketing channels such as e-mail newsletters or direct mail. Furthermore, the study states that the probability that a “fan” recommends a brand or products is much higher than for customers who are not related to a brand through social networks.
Businesses can therefore use social networks not only as an invaluable way to build customer retention and loyalty but also as a platform to acquire new customers.
In summary, please internalize these five golden rules which correspond to the principle of a dialogue-oriented communication.
- Listen to your customers!
- Interact and engage with your customers. Participation is the key!
- Give to get!
- Don’t be too pushy or overtly salesy in communications
- Be genuine, transparent and authentic
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Tags: Facebook, How to, sales, Twitter
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