7 Ways to Grow a Business and Sell Using Social Media + Infographic

Socialfish.org defined seven types of social media followers that each deserve their own social media marketing approach. Here are seven ways to build a following, get more leads and sell using social media.

7 Types of Social Media Followers Infographic = 7 Ways for Your Business to Succeed and Sell Using Social Media

Frustration with understanding how to effectively use sell using social media and lack of measurable social media ROI (return on investment) often leads to stagnant social media profiles or an exit from the playing field altogether.

While few people in business are unaware that social networks can be used to grow a business and even get new leads and sales, many business owners and marketing professionals struggle to connect real leads and sales to their social media marketing efforts. Frustration with understanding how to effectively sell using social media and lack of measurable social media ROI often leads to stagnant social media profiles or an exit from the playing field altogether.

While there is no one magic formula to obtaining business leads and getting sales using social networks, one way to improve your social media marketing ROI (return on investment) is to develop a better understanding of the type of followers your brand pages have, the type of followers your brand pages would ideally attract, how to get them, and how to motivate them to take the next step in relationship with your business.

7 Types of Social Media Followers (and How to Sell Using Social Media) + Infographic

Socialfish.org recently published an article titled, The 7 Types of Social Media Users and How to Engage Them. We thought that we would build on their foundation and add 7 more ways your business can get more leads – and sell using social media – from your social media brand pages:

1. Turn quiet followers into more vocal, engaged and interested followers by becoming more interesting to them. Increase the number of social media status updates meant to draw followers out on topics related to your industry by asking for opinions, asking followers to vote for a favorite option (color, design, font, etc.), weigh in on a poll question or provide a one-word response answer to a question, photo, example, anecdote, etc.

Our Takeaway: Make it safe for people to engage with your brand by not talking about your company or its products or services – give them a way to dip their toes into the water.

2. Get the attention of casual likers through contests, introductory offers for 1st time buyers, giveaway samples in social media “likes” and “shares” prize drawings or offer free samples to post likers / sharers.

Our Takeaway: Give people hovering around the edges of brand engagement a small “taste” of what your business has to offer.

You might also like: 4 Ways to Be More Likeable on Social Networks

3. Turn deal seekers from deal-chasers into loyal customers with package deals and other offers that are redeemable over time, rather than a one-time deal.

Our Takeaway: Help to make doing business with you a habit, so that your products and services become part of their lives on an on-going basis.

4. Like it or not, your business will have an unhappy follower from time to time – and social media makes it really easy for them to tell people what made them so unhappy with your business! But transparency works both ways, and you can use social media to quickly respond to customer discontent and show all of your followers that while your business isn’t perfect (and no business is), you actually care enough to try to make things right. Beyond this, you should be using social media to solicit and share customer testimonials on a regular basis, so that the one unhappy follower out there talking about your business is not the only voice being heard!

Our Takeaway: Social media makes it super-easy for a brand to solicit feedback from satisfied customers as well as the occasional unhappy follower. Be sure that your digital marketing strategy encourages feedback from your customers on social networks and use polls, survey forms and other feedback solicitation tactics to enhance this effort.

5. No question about it, a “ranter” can ruin even the best day at work. When someone leaves a negative rant or tirade about your business on social media, it’s tempting to fire back and ignite a full-on war of words. Socialfish.org notes a great example of a CEO not losing their cool and – instead – taking the high road. Whether you choose to respond to a “ranter” on social networks or not, demonstrate that you appreciate their advice and always remember, that you should keep your cool and make sure that your response won’t damage your organization’s (or your own) reputation.

Our Takeaway: In the words of George Bernard Shaw, “I learned a long time ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You just get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it.” If you must respond to a “ranter”, stick to business and avoid making snide remarks or engaging in personal attacks. Adopt a humble posture and ask all of your followers whether there’s merit in the complaint and how you can improve your business.

6. Cheerleaders already love your brand and they are just looking for you to post something interesting and inspirational that they can pass along to their friends – don’t disappoint them! While it’s tempting to fall into a completely self-promotional voice on social networks, what gets shared is what matters to and inspires others.

Our Takeaway: This is the moment where shared values matter most on social networks. The values that your organization espouses should be reflected in the voice your brand has across your social channels. Infusing your social media brand voice with values will resonate with people who share your values – creating brand advocates, loyal customers and word of mouth marketing cheerleaders.

7. Last but not least we find the loyal fan among our social media followers. If we are lucky, we have a lot of them. If we are being strategic, we are moving members from all of the other social media follower groups along with the goal of turning them into cheerleaders and loyal fans. The important thing with loyal fans is that you can’t take them for granted! There is nothing wrong with acknowledging a loyal fan with social media shout outs, congratulations and other recognition. Loyal fans also deserve personal attention and will appreciate it if you give them a personal message or tag with a head’s up about upcoming events or promotions on their favorite products or services.

Our Takeaway: Recognize and reward behavior you want more of. If you want to sell using social media and continually engage loyal fans and create more followers in this category, use social networks to acknowledge, recognize, thank and even reward your most loyal customers and social media brand fans.