For many companies in the Ag, Oil & Gas, Manufacturing, and Distribution spaces, social media can seem like a necessary evil. However, this doesn't have to be the case. Social media can boost your sales. If you're not doing social media correctly, you're likely leaving money on the table.
How to do Social Media Effectively:
- Make sure your social media content provides a benefit to your followers. What do your followers get out of it? Are they in the know? Do they learn something about you or your products or services? If there is nothing of value to them, you will be tuned out. On the other side, the more engaged your audience, the more likely they are to respond when they uncover you have a solution to their challenges.
- Post regularly and think ahead. Create top-of-mind awareness of your company by regularly putting your company name, products, and/or services in front of the industry. Developing a new product? Launching a new service offering? Create a schedule and plan ahead for key events. That way when your sales staff begins making contact, the groundwork has already been set.
- Use the Problem-Benefit model to create content. What headaches do your products and services alleviate? Are these well-known problems, or issues the industry has yet to understand they have? Help your followers understand that there are better ways of doing business and you can help.
- Always have a Call to Action. Once you provide information to your followers, make sure they know what they should do next. Direct them to a phone number, a website, or an email. Don't assume they know the best way to contact you. Also, who doesn't like being invited? Make sure they feel welcome reaching out.
- Reinforce your branding. Branding is both the visual representation of your company AND the feelings the industry has when they see it or hear your name. In short, it's your reputation. Make sure your posts are in line with your branding. Are you high-tech? Are you customer service-oriented? Are you the industry experts or a trusted provider? Whatever that is, make sure your posts reinforce that branding. This will prime the market for your sales staff and help qualify leads. If your online messaging is disjointed from your other marketing or actual way of doing business it can be a stumbling block for sales, instead.
In short, don't underestimate the power of social media. For social media to be done right, it requires an investment of time and content generation. However, it offers a tremendous ROI when executed properly.
How can Stratimar help?
Our team can come alongside yours to do a market analysis, lay out a schedule that can be periodically repeated and tweaked, create branding templates, and produce high quality photo and video content to frame your company in the best light. Contact us today to learn more.
