Social Media Marketing is one of the strongest tools retailers has at their disposal. So, is it being used to its full potential by all retailers and how can it be used to enhance the in-store customer experience?
Ideally, a store’s social media presence should tell a story or create a personality as well as advertise and sell goods. A planned, strategised and well-curated social account can be the difference between a customer engaging with certain stores and making a purchase or abandoning a cart at checkout.
There are simple steps retailers can take to maximise sales using social media.
- First, evaluate your resources. What are you selling and who are you selling it too? It is important to identify a target market before starting any social media marketing. This will help with the planning stage as far as selecting a theme. Based on this theme a style guide can be created including a swatch-board, fonts and any further branding. Continuity of this theme throughout social media marketing as well as in-store will help to engage shoppers and increases brand recognition.
- Second, evaluate the necessity of the product you are selling to the lives of your target demographic. Are you selling a ‘want’ or a ‘need’ and how are you using your social media to tell a convincing story to your target market to ensure they feel that they can’t live without your product or service? The more active you are with your audience, the better. This does not mean post 67 times a day. This means posting valuable content and conversing with your audience when they engage with your posts. Make smart choices with your imagery and copy to ensure that you are creating an engaging post which will prompt your audience to ask questions and comment on your posts. It is important to respond to both positive and negative comments and mentions. Anytime your store is mentioned, shared or re-posted, no matter the context, it is necessary to engage and always stay professional whilst maintaining your brand’s tone of voice.
- Lastly, give your audience a reason to visit your store. Competitions, giveaways, in-store discounts, and information days are great ways to create buzz around your business and bring your audience in-store. These events should always be launched and advertised across all of your social platforms.
All these steps will work together to help your audience feel a need for the products you have available and will bring them in-store to make a purchase. Continuity, necessity and engagement are the key to positive social media and increased sales. Well curated and engaging social media is certainly one of the strongest weapons in a retail store’s arsenal.
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