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How To Use Instagram For Your Direct Sales Business

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It’s a not-so-well-hidden secret that Instagram is becoming increasingly effective for generating direct sales.

Proof can be found in the claim that a Dubai consultancy firm ‘Knight Frank’ made about how Dubai’s online retail industry was expected to “soar by 2021,” the credit of which (as indicated by the regional retail trends) goes to social media, especially Instagram.

Here’s a list of tips to help you maximize your selling ability on Instagram:

  1. Use Geotagging

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Tagging your location is important in spreading the word about you and your products to local people, especially if your business is not just online but you also have a store. Make sure your store has a tag and encourage your shoppers to check in.

  1. Leverage The #Hashtag

Hashtags are a huge part of Instagram. People search hashtags when they’re looking for something so make sure you are including direct and indirect hashtags as part of the post description or in a follow-up comment on your own post. A few, precisely chosen and targeted hashtags relevant to the product are sure to gain the attention of potential customers. Select your hashtags carefully and just use a few.

  1. Celebrate Your Followers

Don’t neglect your fans. Host giveaways, contests, or other interactive opportunities relevant to your product to connect better with your fans. People love getting attention from brands so use this to your advantage and engage with them on their page, mention them on your page, or feature them and their photos on your site (all with their consent). If they feel like they are being appreciated, they are more likely to keep on supporting you.

  1. Leverage The Buy Now Button

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Instagram has this convenient and extremely easy to use “Buy Now” button which makes it super easy to sell online as people can click to get your products without having to leave Instagram and hunt for your website or product. Making it easy for them means they are more likely to shop from your store. You can also add a “call to action” button or a link to a specific product page.  A photo alone is not going to spur people to buy your product, so use words like “limited time offer” or “buy now” to create a sense of urgency.

  1. Share Consistently

Not everyone will see every post you share throughout the day. You need to make sure your posts reach different people who use Instagram at different times during the day (and also those who use it during the night). In order to boost post reach, share posts multiple times a day to make sure they reach as many people as possible. Consider your target audience and their time zones as well.

  1. Optimize Your Bio And Link It To Your Online Store

Instagram does not allow you to link your website in posts or comments, however, you can use your Bio section to add a live link to your site. Keep your bio concise and to the point. Don’t make it complex and don’t jumble it up with emoji. A to-the-point interest mention/product intro, one emoji, and a link to your site is all you need in there.

  1. Do Not Be Snarky Or Negative In Your Response

Are annoying spammers constantly popping up in your direct messages? Key is to not lose patience. Anger and annoyance at these messages are valid feelings but you can use this opportunity to turn the tables on them and market your product to them instead. Be polite and supportive and you will get their attention as they are most likely going to be used to getting negative replies or getting blocked. Now you can market your business to them while supporting their idea as well.

  1. Get Followers Engaged

 

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Ask a quirky question about the fans’ preferences in terms of, say, vacation spots or foods or food places. Add a picture relevant to the question. Engage them in a way they like; by making them the subject. You can increase your follower count and attract more people to your website and your store by using engaging questions, images, live videos, and other techniques as bait.  You can also funnel visitors to your Facebook group, page or direct sales website.

  1. Use An Image To Tell Your Story With Your Direct Sales Business

Instagram is an image-based platform and there is no shortage of images related to anything on this platform. Market yourself by telling personal stories with images. Good and aesthetically pleasing pictures of products will attract customers for sure, and so will things like ‘behind the scenes making’ records as well as ‘customer reaction to the product’ images.

  1. Educate-> Give Variety-> Repeat

Giveaways tactics will get you potentially interested people who are attracted to your freebies but are not that likely to buy anything. Now your course of action is: Educate them about your products—provide the needed information and build trust over time. The next step should be to have a multistep follow-up sequence in place and handing out emails, discounts, infographics, invitations to events, etc. to potential buyers. Having variety is key to securing different types of customers. Lastly, repeat the marketing and sales pitch again and again in order to make sure you’re heard.

  1. Evaluation And Optimization

Finally, you need to include evaluation and optimization in your Instagram’s marketing strategy. Use qualitative and quantitative analysis methods to figure out which of your tactics and efforts are working and which are being completely wasted.

In conclusion, direct sales are very profitable on social media, but only after you prove your worth to your audience. This complete guide is what you need to stick to if you want to be several steps ahead of your direct sales competition on social media.

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Author Bio:

Brenda Cagara works with a group of professional business consultants (Riz & Mona). With them, she plays an essential role in company formation, setting up business and providing a number of other services. These include visa processing, trade mark, local sponsors, bank account opening, trade license, product registration and a lot of others. She started her writing career five years back and now is an expert writer on different niches. Her writing strengths lie in business, taxation and finance niches.

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