Using Social Media to Grow Your Direct Sales Business
January 30, 2015
Having been in direct sales since before the online era of “social selling,” I used to struggle with the efforts of trying to get in front of customers in my local town while having two (and then three) small children. Then the online world exploded and opened a whole new path for anyone in direct sales. I could reach thousands of people from home, even with a child on my lap! Since then, I’ve become a student of how to grow my business online. It can certainly be powerful once you know how to market yourself.
While I don’t like to label activities as being “right or wrong” there are some methods that all master networkers use to reach more people. Here are 3 important things to remember about using social media to grow your direct sales business:
1. Consistency
This is crucial. With the amount of social media sites people are on, if you are not reaching them regularly, as in DAILY, guess who forgets about you?
Remember to:
- Update your blogs often (a few times a week minimum). Short relatable posts are best. People are looking for catchy titles and quick reads.
- Update your Facebook pages at least daily. With the way they show business posts, aim for twice a day, morning and night. You can even schedule posts for the entire week if you’d like.
- Post your pics on Instagram daily.
- Tweet and re-tweet.
- Send your newsletter once a month or communicate with your private lists often enough that they can keep up with your specials and sales.
2. Communication and Interaction.
Keeping things personal makes you more of a “real” person and not just a salesperson.
- How do you speak to your those people who like and follow you?
- Do you post and write as if you are talking to friends, not to an audience?
- Do you utilize texts, private messages and personal notes on walls?
- Are you friendly and positive?
- Are you asking questions to get a back and forth dialogue going?
- Do you respond to each and every comment on your pages? This is so important to do!
- Do you add in humor from time to time? People love funny but not overly silly status updates.
- Do you show pictures of you using your own products or service?
- Do you post testimonials and real life stories? (facts tell – stories sell)
- Do you compliment people and offer positive feel-good updates?
It’s not just bragging about what YOU did, or what your company can do, but it’s offering real life updates or helpful information that can teach people in a friendly manner. This helps increase interaction and trust of you as an educated professional in your field.
All of these things will help you keep your followers and have them wanting to stay connected. Now onto finding NEW people to engage with:
3. Growing Your Networks.
To grow your business online you have to grow your networks. My goal is to reach new people each and every day. I do that by starting to follow more people on all my social networks (at least 5 a day). When I like a person’s business page, I always message them saying that I just liked their page and I’m happy to connect with them (because truthfully I am) and then I ask a question to start a conversation. It could be “How long have you been with your company”? or maybe” I see you live in Orlando. Do you go to Disney often?” Remember people LOVE to talk about themselves and feel like you are interested in them. However, there’s the key. See, I actually am interested in chatting. I love making new connections online. I’ve learned a ton from other people, have shopped their amazing product lines and have made new friends.
You never know who will be a new friend, a new customer or just an online acquaintance. So if you don’t have time to make new friends online and have zero interest in anyone’s lives but your own, there is going to be an issue with growing your direct sales business online no matter how good the products are.
Becoming a master networker and using social media as just one avenue to grow your business is very important in this digital age. Do it with passion and integrity and you’ll see your business take off even more!
