Showing posts with label Target Marketing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Target Marketing. Show all posts

Sunday, June 29, 2025

YOUR Social Media Sales Targets?


Sales is a lucrative career option everywhere including the UAE, but meeting targets takes continuous evolvement and growth. 

That is where social selling comes across..



The question is no longer, “Should I adopt social selling?” but “How can I be the best social seller I can be?”

So what is 'social selling'? Social selling is changing the workflow of traditional sales by giving priority to long-term conversations in comparison to starting with a pitch.

Being able to use social media for these conversations is key for this process and our social media insider, Stefanie Fernandez, Head of Sales Solutions at LinkedIn MENA, has some tips for achieving your sales target effectively and efficiently through social media.

Numbers

Before starting, here are some number from LinkedIn's social selling index - social selling leader are 51 per cent more likely to reach their sales quota and create 48 per cent more opportunities than peers who don't use social media effectively.



Here Are Her Top Tips For 'Social Sellers'

1. Strategy Before Action and Tactics

Most people already have a sales strategy and try to incorporate social selling tactics in to the process or routine. According to Stephanie, while this is a good idea, you will be far more effective when you implement a strategy to back them up. Start by addressing the integration of social activities into your overall sales strategy.

Who are you trying to reach? What is your core message for them? Which platforms do they use? What kind of content will you share and why? How will you manage the information you receive? What are the ultimate outcomes you seek to measure? Answer these questions and more, then build your social strategy plan (including your tactics) and make sure you execute consistently.

2. It's Never Too Early

You will often hear that buyers are already at least 60 per cent through the buying cycle by the time they reach out to a salesperson. This doesn’t mean you should wait around for them. Seek out your prospects sooner rather than later.



These Are The Benefits an Early Bird Gets:

1. First off, if you get in early, you can share ideas, insights and information that can help them achieve their objectives. This positions you as a valuable resource than just another self-serving salesperson.

2. You’ll develop relationships with key people before they start looking, to build a trust advantage.

3. Finally, by getting in early, you’ll be able to impact the decision criteria instead of just responding to them.

3. Priority To Engagement Over Sales

While it is always tempting to pitch the first time you talk or connect with someone on social media, that would be like taking an axe to your relationship then and there. Social media is not an ideal platform for effective sales pitches.

The best advice is to keep sending them educational material and subtly dropping in something compelling about your company, increasing the likelihood that they will click on it. The rationale behind this is simply to build trust.



4. Social Selling is a Habit

Social selling is a process that requires patience and ongoing commitment. You can’t just share one article or favourite one buyer’s tweet and then be done with it. Salespeople must commit to infusing social networking into their daily routines for social activity to have an impact on revenue and sales.

5. Build Your Brand

Your online brand is the one asset you have that differentiates you from the competition. Keep it professional whilst making sure you’re maintaining the human element and being authentic. Your social presence across the networks you choose to publish on should be unique, consistent and compelling. People want to buy from people that educate them, not from robots.

Social selling is an ongoing investment of time and dedication to create relationships, and all sales are soon going to be about just that - relationships and conversations. Start getting social today.

Guest Authored By Dona Cherian. Dona is a writer/reporter for Gulf News Guides. She is an expert in practical UAE life tips and tricks, guides on lifestyle and travel, and rankings from across the globe. She loves digital analytics and is a closet artist. Follow Dona on Twitter.





Social selling is an ongoing investment of time and dedication to create relationships, and all sales are soon going to be about just that - relationships and conversations.

Start getting social today..
  • Authored by:
    Fred Hansen Pied Piper of Social Media Marketing at YourWorldBrand.com & CEO of Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Loveland, Colorado. I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)
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Friday, April 11, 2025

Finding YOUR 'Warm' Ecommerce Customers?



Four Simple ways to use social media to find 'warm' ecommerce customers..

These 'warm' customers are just like Goldilocks' -- interested in the porridge that's 'just right.' They're also exactly the people you want to target.



Back in the good old days, businesses drove commerce by buying ads in the local newspaper, renting space on a billboard or calling people out of a phone book.

Customers came to a physical storefront to do their shopping, and each business had a very limited geographical sphere that it worked in.

What a different world we have today: Many businesses don't have a physical storefront or even see their customers. They sell to people all over the planet, and instead of buying ad space in the local paper, they compete for SEO rankings.

As the world of commerce continues to change, the role of social media in that world has only become bigger. The average person in 2018 spent 45 minutes on social media every day, and the trend toward shopping online straight and even getting there direct from social media sites continues to grow. Already, companies without a social media presence are starting to seem irrelevant.

Of course social media platforms are packed with all kinds of people, but as the leader of an ecommerce business, you probably know that most of those people shouldn't concern you. Instead, your main source of growth is going to come from the golden and sometimes elusive "warm" customer.



You know who these people are: people with whom you already have at least a fledgling relationship.

They know about your brand; they may follow you on social media; they just haven't bought anything -- yet. Though other customers have their good points, "Goldilocks" should be your focus when you're building up your customer base. Aim for the porridge that's not too hot (current customers who have already bought), not too cold (people with no knowledge of or interest in you), but just right.

The problem is, it can be tricky finding these warm customers. Sure, you're checking your follower lists and website traffic. But what exactly do you look for? What can you do to help them take the next step and buy?

Here are a few ideas to help you find them among the social media crowds:



1. Take advantage of all of Facebook's nifty tools.

Though most companies have a Facebook page and use the platform for paid advertising, few have taken the time to figure out how useful some of the platform's analytic tools actually can be.

If you set up a Facebook pixel to track your website traffic (and online store purchases), you can later use that data to target your social media advertising directly at the people using your site.

You can also use Facebook to create lookalike audiences, where you take an audience you already know (people who have already purchased from your store, for example) and set Facebook to target users most similar to that audience. This means people of a similar age, interests and demographics; these are the audience members already "warmer" to you than the average Joe.

Last, you can create audiences on Facebook based on their engagement. Target people who have interacted with your Facebook page or Instagram business profile before, and you'll be able to catch those leads who find your brand attractive enough to have checked out your social media presence.



2. Make impulse buying easier on Pinterest and Instagram.

Very often, "warm" customers are already following your social media channels or looking at your posts; they just haven't committed enough to take the plunge and buy.

Platforms like Pinterest and Instagram, used in the typical fashion, add lots of steps to the buying process and make it difficult. If your potential customers have to click through a generic link in your Instagram bio, then search up the item they want on the site itself, odds are they aren't going to make the effort.

Luckily, new features on both Pinterest and Instagram enable customers to buy products straight from the app. So, start using product pins on Pinterest, and make sure that your website is optimized for the Pinterest buy button. Instagram's equivalent feature, Shopping on Instagram, lets followers buy straight from the feed.

If you use these tools right (and don't overuse them), your "warm" customers will find it much easier to give your company a try.



3. Get people to engage by running a promotion or contest.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos once famously said, "Your brand is what people say about you when you're not in the room." In that light, your goal on social media should be to get your customers to do the talking for you -- in a good way.

One of the most effective ways to engage current (and prospective) customers is by running a promotion or contest on your channels. Followers may share this with their friends, who'll share with their friends; and before long you'll have a long list of referrals -- of "warm" customers.

Lance Essinos, online marketer and host of The University of Adversity podcast, said you get bonus points if you expand your promotion to include other businesses. When I reached out to him for comment, he replied in an email: "People are much more likely to act on advice or recommendations from friends they trust.

"That applies to normal referral situations, but it also applies to cross-promotions with other businesses," Essinos wrote. "In effect, the other business has a big group of friends that like them and follow them, and they're recommending you and your business to that friend group. It's a total win-win for creating good relationships with customer leads"



4. Become a thought-leader in your customers' sphere.

One of the biggest characteristics "warm" customers can offer you is that they're often looking for information and answers, but not products.. at least yet. As Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg once said in an interview with Time magazine, "Advertising works most effectively when it's in line with what people are already trying to do."

"Already trying to do" are the operative words here; they describe "warm" customers trying to find answers to their problems. These are people willing to go to a little effort to find the information they need -- so you need to be there with the answers.

Start a blog and focus your content on helping to solve their problems. Boost the exposure of your posts by publishing or sharing on your social channels. The more unique and high-quality your content is, the more awareness and loyalty you'll get from your customers. Soon enough, they'll be buying things on your site.

Guest Authored By Lucas Miller. Lucas is the founder and CEO of Echelon Copy LLC, a media relations agency based in Provo, Utah that helps brands improve visibility, enhance reputation and generate leads through authentic storytelling. Follow Lucas on Twitter.





"So, dive in to building up an impressive social media presence (and marketing to the right customers through it). Yes, it's a process of trial and error. And it takes time and testing to figure out the right way to reach those already looking for what you have to offer. However, with the right tools and know-how, you'll likely find that connecting to the "warm" customers who'll grow your company will only get easier.. -LucasMiller


  • Post Crafted By:
    Fred Hansen Pied Piper of Social Media Marketing at GetMoreHere.com & CEO of Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Loveland, CO. where I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)
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Thursday, May 17, 2018

Social Media Marketing Steps To Success?


Six simple steps that make social media marketing less overwhelming..

You've probably heard the term "FOMO" by now. Fear of missing out is the sensation that everyone else is doing something you should be doing. And it's a feeling that is often triggered by seeing someone's social media post.



To a lot of business owners -- especially small business owners who wear many hats -- social media marketing itself feels this way. Should I use every social platform that's out there? How do I even get started? Am I missing out on something fundamentally important for my business?

I've heard these questions time and again while traveling the country with the Small Business Revolution, a national movement that shines a spotlight on the importance of small businesses. People get overwhelmed thinking about social media marketing. It locks them up. It keeps them from doing anything.

This is a shame, as a sturdy social media presence is important for search and many other reasons. The key is to be strategic. Build your presence deliberately (and, yes, slowly). Analyze your efforts. Adjust as you go. Keep your customer front of mind. You don't need to do everything. You just need to do what makes sense for your business. Here are six steps to help you determine what that means for your unique situation.



Find Your Customers

You're likely familiar with major social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube. Perhaps you use them yourself. That's good.

Now ask yourself which platforms your customers use. Not sure? Ask them. Although it may be tempting to use every platform out there, you don't need to. You just need to be able to meet your customers. Also, check out what your competitors are doing. Where can you find them online? Evaluate their efforts. Can you communicate with the same audience differently? Better? Go for it.

If you're starting from scratch, figure out one key platform that fits the demographic of your customer base. This serves as your starting point.



Start Small

Social media marketing is beneficial in many ways -- for generating brand awareness, driving sales, engaging with consumers and more. It can be tempting to try to achieve everything at once. But if you're a newcomer, start small.

What is most important to you right now? Write it down. Then look at what you wrote and proceed confidently, knowing that this is your top priority and you should focus on this specific goal.

Of course, you can branch out from there, depending on the results. It's the results that will determine where you go next.



Hone Your Message

You know who is your wisest social media consultant? Your mother. It might sound like a joke, especially if terms like "Snapchat" would elicit little more than a befuddled look from your mom. But I'm serious.

Remember the lessons she gave you when you were a child? "Don't just talk about yourself -- be sure to listen." "Be kind and caring." Those are essential social media attributes. The biggest mistake I see companies of all sizes make on social media is talking about themselves too much. Don't do that. I cannot stress this enough.

Your job is to solve problems for your customers. Reflect this in your social media messaging. My approach with the Small Business Revolution is to share the stories of remarkable business owners. They're inspiring. They talk about real-life challenges, and we show the way they adapt and move forward. We can all learn from these insights.



Prepare to talk about your customers more than yourself. If it helps to have a ratio in mind, go with 80-20. Make 80% of your communications about your customers (and the things that make their lives easier) and 20% about yourself. As you go along, you might even take that up to 90-10. It's about developing trust over the long term.

Make Time For It

When you're getting started, social media marketing can seem deceptively easy because so many of us are already social media users in our personal lives. But there's more to social media marketing than social media participating. For one thing, it takes time. A consistent presence is crucial. You need someone to check your feeds every day. Someone needs to create and share content. Someone needs to respond to customers.



Maybe that someone is you. Maybe it's a third-party expert who allows you to focus on the aspects of your business where your unique skills can make the biggest impact. Either way, budget time for it. To be successful, social media cannot be an afterthought. If you remain committed, social media marketing can pay big dividends. Just don't expect your world to change overnight. Stick with it. Make it a priority.

Integrate Your Efforts

Think of your social media marketing effort as an extension of everything you do. Integrate it into all of your branding work. Are you communicating the same messages online as you are in person? Is the tone of your customer interactions consistent?

Before hitting "post," make sure you're reinforcing all of your brand attributes. Social media is a unique opportunity to provide the same personalized experience to consumers as they would receive face to face.



Relax. You can always make changes. You should always make changes

The one immutable law of social media marketing is that it always changes. The strategies that make sense for your business today might not make sense six months from now.

This is what makes it an amazing time to be a digital marketer. With social media, you can constantly refine your efforts. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Learn from them. And get back in there.

Guest Authored By Amanda Brinkman. Amanda is Chief Brand and Communications Officer at Deluxe and Exec. Producer of the Small Business Revolution. Follow Amanda on Twitter.





"Fortunately, it's easy to analyze and adapt.

If you're not getting the conversion rates you're looking for, foot traffic, coupon redemptions or whatever preferred objective you wrote down.

Change things up.." -AmandaBrinkman


    • Post Crafted By:
      Fred Hansen Pied Piper of Social Media Marketing at YourWorldBrand.com & CEO of Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Loveland, Colorado. I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)
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    Location: Loveland, CO 80538, USA

    Wednesday, December 27, 2017

    YOUR Next Level Social Media Marketing?


    Taking social media marketing to the next level -- Social media is so ingrained in today’s culture that we forget Facebook is already a teenager, while Snapchat has just graduated preschool..

    Other social media — including LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and WhatsApp — have joined them to gain an impressive user base.



    In the second quarter of 2017 alone, 110 million people started using social media for the first time, increasing total users to 2.9 billion globally.

    Beyond their initial role as vehicles for communication and social expression, however, each social media application has also become a revenue-producing engine. And marketers have been eager to pay for access to a social media audience that is not only growing quickly, but is enriched with data that enables targeting around individuals’ likes and dislikes, demography, affinities, buying behaviors and much more.

    Even setting audience growth aside, Facebook could be considered the greatest data management platform ever built, because its users self-declare demographic and psychographic information on a daily basis. Every Facebook “like” and “follow” represents extremely powerful third-party data for brands to harness.

    The impact of social media on top line sales is undeniable. A recent study shows that social media is now the primary driver of all website referral traffic. U.S. social commerce sales — purchases made directly from social media posts — grew from $3 billion in 2012 to $14 billion in 2015.



    The most up-to-date marketers are riding the wave, spending $31 billion on social media ads in 2016 — nearly double what they spent just two years ago.

    And while Facebook continues to dominate the space, all social media platforms are advancing monetization strategies around their expansive user bases.

    Most marketing executives have been scratching their heads as to how to take social media to the next level and show a measurable return on investment in it. Indeed, only 16.3% of CMOs report having the ability to quantitatively show the impact of social media on their business; in a seeming contradiction, they expect to expand social media spend by 89% in the next five years.

    We’re now at that Holy Grail point where with social media, marketers can gain a measure of offline return on ad spend by taking sales data and matching it within Facebook to determine whether a product was purchased by someone who had seen an ad.

    And where POS data isn’t available, geo-based targeting and tracking is an alternative optimization strategy. This scenario drives people toward in-store coupons pages, for example using geo-fencing to measure “directions to the store” page visits.

    We’d like to share some additional ways marketers can optimize their return on the investment they make in social media.



    Targeting

    An important recent innovation in marketers’ use of social media has been the ability to allow first-party data to be easily and inexpensively ingested in multiple ways. Examples of this capability include Facebook’s Custom Audiences, Twitter’s Tailored Audiences, and Snapchat’s Snap Audience Match.

    It is possible to align campaign objectives by audience within these platforms, either by using offer ads to reintroduce a brand to audiences who have not made a purchase in the last 6 to 12 months, or by introducing new products and increasing purchase frequency with dynamic product ads.

    Targeting has thus reached a level of granularity that is producing better results for every dollar spent.

    A logical next step for marketers using social media for targeting is lookalike audiences — that is, prospects that have many similar attributes to your top customers.

    Lookalike targeting isn’t a new concept — all platforms have their own methods of reaching “similar audiences” — but none of them seems to have extrapolated to having insights about the modeling and what is behind it. Rather than relying on one platform, marketers might consider leveraging a social ad-tech solution such as 4C Insights.


    There are two reasons why this is a good idea. First, there is no certainty that first-party audiences will match demographically with lookalike audiences, since factors such as age, gender and location may be equally weighted among likes and interests within the algorithms. Second, and more obviously, the platforms will sometimes inflate the cost-per-impressions on their lookalike audiences.

    Brands need to make sure that they have the Facebook pixel installed on their website — something that may seem obvious, but in fact many sites don’t have this tracking code properly integrated. Facebook’s remarketing pixel can help target all site visitors for up to 180 days at a granular level, giving brands a leg up in their targeting efforts.

    Measurement

    Even with today’s data-driven approach to marketing, many brands are still using outmoded performance measures such as shares and likes, which do not translate into return on investment.

    Now there are ways to report on actual business goals achieved through social ad spend — typically sales and/or in-store visitors. Measuring offline conversions within the social media platforms is relatively straightforward as long as analytics and tracking have been properly implemented and maintained.



    As mentioned above, Facebook and other platforms now allow marketers to connect offline transactions and events to their digital media efforts, providing a more objective measure of offline return on ad spend.

    The importance and evolution of the social media platforms is nearly unparalleled in digital marketing. Until very recent years, businesses used social networks only to communicate to audiences that already knew them, or that may have been liked or shared by that audience.

    With this new ability to ingest first-party data for targeting and measurement, brands can now reach current customers, and find new ones, more often. This, combined with the fact that social media is driving more direct sales, makes it almost a certainty that the power of social platforms will only continue to increase and multiply.

    Guest Authored By Patrick Kuehn & Daniel Ripes. Patrick is senior VP, Sales and Marketing at ObjectWave Corp, a full-service provider of digital commerce solutions. Daniel is is VP of global partnerships at Rise Interactive, a digital marketing agency specializing in digital media, analytics, and customer experience. Follow Daniel on Twitter.




    “With this new ability to ingest first-party data for targeting and measurement, brands can now reach current customers, and find new ones, more often.

    This, combined with the fact that social media is driving more direct sales, makes it almost a certainty that the power of social platforms will only continue to increase and multiply." -Patrick Kuehn & Daniel Ripes


      • Authored by:
        Fred Hansen Pied Piper of Social Media Marketing at YourWorldBr@nd.com & CEO of Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Loveland, Colorado. I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)
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      Location: Loveland, CO 80538, USA
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