Are taking the time to build the relationships?

We talked in last weeks blog about how to

connect promotions, sales, and consumers without being 'salesy'?  Often when I'm scrolling through social media I will see the exact same style of post online. It's usually a post of the products you sell without anything else. For many, their first instinct would be - well ya, that's what you're supposed to do, it's advertising. The problem is, unfortunately too often we forget that we need to be social. It's great to share the latest and the greatest item that just came into the store, or a new product you have created that is hitting the market... but that's about you. In the world of 'social' media, we need to rethink how we are connecting with our consumers. We need to create content that will educate, entertain, entice and inform. Then when we do all that, they will crave the ability to purchase. I can hear the resistance from some already, "but I don't have time for that" or "I can't do everything for free" or "they will just take everything and buy online". These are all valid concerns, but when we swap everything around, we are able to build raving fans, rather than just price shoppers. Let's go through a handful of ideas in how you can create edutainment for your content feeds (entertainment and education).

How it's made: This is a huge topic on the list for most people. They want to know how it is made and most importantly, how that will affect them. Take for example if you have a clothing store. When I was a child there were a limited number of fabrics to choose from, now we have so many more to consider. What if you were to create a series of content all based on how clothing is made, the materials used and most importantly why you will want to look out for certain materials. In what purposes they will be best to serve you. For example, why would you want to choose a certain fabric for working out vs wearing on a job site, etc. How about posts relating to the best way to care for fabrics? How to get your fabrics to keep from fading, or wearing out, etc.

Adventures abroad: If you're in the travel industry and looking to create a relationship with a potential client, how about sharing stories about the first time you went somewhere and how unsure you were by what to expect (showing them they aren't alone and therefore should feel comfortable in knowing you won't think they are crazy for being nervous) and then how pleasantly surprised you were by what you found when you got there. Share a story of the best place you had Gelato in Italy or the views from a private little hilltop lookout in Spain. Paint the picture of what it is like to discover a slice of paradise in an unexpected destination. Share ideas on what types of travel styles exist, destinations that they may not have considered, take on the headlines directly when something happens - don't feed into the hysteria. Be the reason they feel calm, be the voice of reason, be the expert that they are looking for.

Stop the price game: Most businesses seem to believe that the best way to attract people on social media is with a great price. Sure it could work that one time. You could bring them in once, but if they only bought from you for the price and you don't do anything to capture them by being truly extraordinary (pricing is not extraordinary) how will they ever remember who you are a week later, a day later or even later that afternoon? People are so inundated with "Sales" that they rarely remember beyond the transaction. This is not going to build a relationship and it certainly isn't going to build a raving fan. I've heard it so many times, "people are only willing to buy my stuff when I advertise super cheap". You don't say? You've worked a promotion for your business that doesnt' create consumer loyalty? Shocking that they don't want to connect with you outside of that. Instead, you want to create the 'expert factor'. You want them to know that when they come to your store no one will understand how to make their wedding bouquet with more attention to detail than you, understanding how and why each bloom is just so. No one else understands their body shape the way you do, or how to connect them with the right home (not just a house) or a trip they will never for forget for the right reasons. No matter what industry you are in, find the way to become the expert, the go-to, THE authority. I have a great mentor, by the name of Michael Vickers, he has a saying "Price is never the issue unless it's the issue and then it's the only issue". By this he means that so often when people refer to it being the price, it simply means you haven't created a deep enough relationship or conveyed the value well enough. A great example of this is, what I told you I would give you a killer deal for only $100 you could have it. Your first question is, what is it that I'm getting for $100? Why? Because you want to know if it's worth it. If I told you I was going to give you a pencil from a school supply list you wouldn't be too excited (especially as they sell for 10 cents during back to school). Yet if I told you for only $100 you could pick any car off of any dealership lot and it will never cost you more than that $100, I'm sure we would see a trail of dust headed out as you ran to get yours. This means that pricing is always a fluid item, so don't use it as the cornerstone to your marketing. Instead, build your marketing around the concept of being the expert, getting to know your consumers and creating ongoing relationships.