Ultimately, marketing is about making sales. Brand recognition and engagement are simply aspects of revenue generation, but in the end, you want to convert people from users who engage with your brand via social media to paying customers.
Why Social Media
Social media marketing takes the relationship marketing theory to a new level. One of the keys to marketing is to build a solid relationship with the customer, and relationship marketing proposes that the customer-business interactions cannot be focused on the final sale. If they address the consumer’s interests and needs, then the brand loyalty and sales will come naturally.
Social media gives your company a platform to create these human relationships. It’s an opportunity for your company to be transparent and relatable. Use your social networks to humanize your company; let people see the soul of the company. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are not the best place to offer advertorial messages or coupons. This is where you explain the passion and social goals of your business and encourage the consumer to engage.
The Marketing Newsletter
One marketing avenue you can offer via social media is the company newsletter. The newsletter serves a special place in the conversion process—it is for people who want to increase their knowledge on a subject. Newsletters need to be full of topic-specific (usually industry-specific) information. Do not use the newsletter to give general information about your company, and remember that these are not update or feel-good pieces (that’s what your social media is for).
Take a hard look at your goals for your newsletter, and tailor the format and content to reach these goals. Are you trying to increase the number of leads? Better qualify people to speak to your sales team? Keep the customers you have? Gather your answers and create a plan of action.
Best Practices
Don’t just throw together a generic newsletter and hope it sticks, however. Follow these best practices so you’re not wasting your time (and theirs):
- Write for the Web. Craft clear, concise and grammatically correct content that’s relevant and compelling for your intended audience. Meet Content has a comprehensive list of writing guidelines that’s helpful.
- Go for “the ask.” Include a call to action in your newsletter. Tell readers what you want them to do, whether that’s to sign up for your service, call you or buy your product. Kuno Creative offer six simple tips to creating a strong call for action.
- Make it easy for them to pay you. Create a streamlined payment process that offers your users-turned-customers payment flexibility. Chargify offers subscription management services that enables customers to upgrade from one plan to another, download statements and access a self-service help portal.
- Hire a professional designer. Or, use an email newsletter service like MailChimp. The last thing you want to do is send out an amateurish newsletter—no one will take you seriously.
