Building A Brand

When you are out shopping, and you see something (a cup of coffee, a wine glass, an angel, etc) does a person jump into your thoughts?  For example, when I see “wine” I immediately think of my friend Desiree. Or when I see LARGE mugs of coffee, I think of Lori.  You get the picture.  Hopefully, when you see “angels”,  you think of me. No, I’m definitely not an angel BUT angels have always been a “thing” for me.  For me, it is a sign of my efforts to give back or pay it forward to those who are struggling.  It also reminds me of my many angels watching over me.

So, where is all of this leading, right?  Almost everyone is on some form of social media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, and the list goes on.. The truth is having a presence for your business on social media is just smart marketing!   it allows use to share our business without pushing sales all of the time.  I’m sure you know someone who has launched their business (direct sales or store front), while using their personal social media account.  It is a way for people to get the word out about their new business.  BUT at some point, they and so should you switch to a business page. I have a business page on Facebook and Instagram (click to check them out).

Why? Not only is it just a great business practice, but it helps to keep the two worlds separate.  Believe me, your family and friends will appreciate not being bombarded by business news. Now, I’m not saying you won’t share things on your personal page BUT it will be far less than it was before your business page.  On your Facebook business page, you will have a whole range of tools to help you measure performance and to help you engage with your customers and make more connections. As your connections increase, so does your brand awareness! You want your customers to be clear you are their business (for me Thirty One) connection!

Facebook
Create a Facebook business Page so you can  get discovered and connect with people. With a Facebook business Page, you can communicate directly with customers, help them learn more about your business, offer customer service and tell visual stories. Don’t get me wrong, things can and will trickle over to your personal but personal should be personal!  There are LOTS of tools provided with a business page, so you can gain insight on how your customers are interacting on the the content you share so you can fine tune your message – and it is SEEN!

Instagram
Did you know more than 500 million Instagrammers are discovering new things every month?  I was surprised I have more followers on Instagram then I do on FB!  So, I have started to be consistent on Instagram as a business account.  Like Facebook Pages, Instagram business profiles connect people and businesses. Use Instagram to share your direct sales journey, connect with your audience and generate interest. You can even link your Facebook Business Page with your Instagram account.  I am having lots of fun sharing things on Instagram and connecting with new people.

You can actually drive sales and potential recruits to your business via social media.  With your personal brand, your audience will grow – I was shocked how fast mine did.   The law of averages works great in direct sales – and as your followers increase your sales and team will also.

If you are like me, you want to know how can all of this turn interest into sales, right?  First, make sure ALL of your upcoming events are on your business page.  Hosting a fundraiser, be sure to add it as an event.  Then make sure there is a link to your website for people can order.  I have a “mystery host” party link on my site all of the time.  WHY?  Because, people like a chance to win. My disclaimer is “the party must reach at least $300 in sale” before a winner is selected.  WHY?  Because if it doesn’t reach the level you set,  you can benefit from those Hostess Rewards when you close out the party for the month.  Flip those Hostess products into incentives if you want to generate more business!

Once your business is setup on social media, you have another way to provide friendly, helpful customer service for your customers.  It is also easier for your customers to tag you and share your business with their friends and family.  The ultimate goal is then reached by you gaining more customers!

Share your brand/logo with us.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Marketing to Millennials

This old lady struggles with expanding my customer base or should I say bridging the generation gap.  I know Thirty One (and other companies) provide simple solutions for millennials (the 18 – 35 year olds) but sometimes I just miss the mark. Thank you Nika Stewart for some great tips on how to reach the largest living generation!

I remember reading the newspaper (delivered to the house by a paper person) every morning.  It was how I got the news. I got gift ideas from television commercials or catalogs in the mail.  I learned about fashion by flipping through magazines. Yup, I’m old.  Now those things have been replaced with smart phones and social media.  A simple touch of a button and everything is at your fingertips.

Millennials can usually be found buried in their phone ignoring traditional media ads.  They are always engaging on Snap Chat, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and occasionally Facebook.  I’m sure there are some new things out there too but I don’t know them yet.

So as a direct seller who is looking to expand your business, how do you reach these tech savvy consumers when you are an old timer?  Here are some tips from Ghost Tweeting and Nika Stewart:

#1 Social Media

You will find the millennial on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter on a daily basis. Social networks are the primary way they get their information. They’re scrolling through feeds searching for a laugh, for inspiration, for food, and for news.  To them it is not a dark hole to get lost in, it is where they get news, inspiration and connect with friends.  We used to pick up the phone and TALK to people. I actually miss the days of talking on the phone.  Social media is a black hole for me which soaks up time or at least it is my perception.  Maybe it is time to change the  mindset!  So, how do you create content to appeal to them?

Lighten up: Want to have your posts shared creating a wider customer base?  Make it funny even if it is serious.  Find trending topics, add your product information and post silliness.  “70% of millenials say they share content because it makes them laugh”. Think of how many more people you will reach this way.

Provoke an emotional response: Millennials want real, they want gritty, and they want to be moved. Get deep and create content to tug on their heartstrings.  

#2 Engagement

How many times have you posted on your personal page, your VIP group or even on your business page and heard crickets?  You are consistently posting maybe a few times a day (on your own or with the help Cinchshare) but no one is engaging in the posts.  First, did you have a call to action in your post?  The truth is, you are not working the social media circuit if you’re not engaging with your followers.

Millennials are hungry to be part of something bigger, and they need to be accepted. Nothing provides acceptance like addressing users personally. This means commenting back, responding, and keeping conversations open. Users who are engaged with accounts (not just broadcast to) are much more likely to share, recommend, and tell friends about the brand they feel a bond with. 

Do you respond to comments or just “like” them?  Do you engage those who comment in conversation or do you just talk to everyone?  Go back through your posts and see what posts get the most interaction.  In my VIP group, it is usually contest or questions; so why would I change this up on my personal or business page?

#3 Video

Facebook LIVE was a game changer when I started doing regular posts but I got out of the habit.  I find it easier to type my content or put it in pictures than I do talking in a video.  Video marketing is the gold standard these days, everyone is doing it.  According to Animoto (I rediscovered this again), “80 percent of millennials consider video content when researching a purchase decision.” 80 percent! Yes, you need to do video.  It doesn’t have to be you personally, it doesn’t have to be long or perfect – it just has to be a video with a message.

Millennials want to be informed as well as entertained, so create video content to demonstrate expertise in your field while keeping your brand relevant and lighthearted.  I know for us “old timers” this could be tough but it is definitely going to be a game changer.

Video options include: customer testimonials, behind-the-scenes livestreams, demonstrating products in action… get creative! Video provides an unprecedented opportunity to make a meaningful connection with the masses.  I have been working on some and sharing the ones ThirtyOne does to keep things fresh.

The marketing landscape is changing and the baby boomers (like me) will either be left in the dust or decide to move forward stepping out of our comfort zone.  The days of formal presentations, and slick ad campaigns is gone.  The traditional marketing no longer works.   The sooner we embrace new methods for reaching customers especially this generation, the sooner we’ll see our business grow.

How are you changing your business to  grow?  Share your ideas with us.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!