Executives and business owners of companies that depend on lead-generation to feed sales are typically great problem solvers. From a personality standpoint, that means they tend to be direct and down-to-business. So it’s no surprise that social media can be a bit of a mystery.
On one hand, they know their customers are using it. On the other hand, they know that just posting this month’s special or other “ad” doesn’t seem to move the needle.
But there really IS a way to generate leads from social media.
Promoted Posts vs. Organic Reach
Where other forms of advertising may take less effort but cost money, lead generation on social platforms like Facebook, Instagram and others typically take more elbow grease and less hard cash.
Making social media support your lead generation begins with building an audience, or “followers.” This isn’t as easy as it used to be.
As social platforms have evolved, they have gotten better at shielding their users from content that isn’t “relevant.” They have also gotten smarter at monetizing their platforms. Posts from companies that used to show up organically in their customers’ feeds are now much less likely to be served unless they are “promoted.” RCG can help you deploy marketing budget to promote posts, but there are also things you can do without paying.
And, as we said above, that starts with growing your social media audience.
It only stands to reason that the larger your pool of followers, the more likely your posts will find their way to receptive eyes. But, moreover, a larger pool of followers also means you probably have something that’s like gold on social platforms: relevance.
That’s because you can’t buy a bigger audience, you have to earn it. And the only way to earn follows is to consistently provide information that your customers want. There’s no reason for a consumer to follow a company that only posts self-serving, self-promotion.
Creating Content that is Relevant
You become relevant when you post information that is interesting, entertaining or helpful, and you become even more relevant when you do it consistently.
It’s ok to vary posts between video, images and text, but make sure that all of them provide some kind of value to the consumer. And it’s important that people see that the social media post that catches their eye isn’t a one-off. To get them to follow you, they need to believe that more good information will be coming soon.
Consider creating a social calendar that plans out your social posts for the next quarter, six months or even year. Think about the topics and give yourself or your team deadlines to produce and publish the posts. You can post videos, photos, infographics or written articles.
No matter what you post, make sure it’s one (or more) of these three things: interesting, entertaining and helpful.
Consider things like showing how one of your products is made or how it works. Testimonials or customer stories can be interesting. Think about how you help people and share some of the biggest challenges you’ve overcome. Give homeowners some do-it-yourself tips in your field of expertise. Keep up to date with seasonal changes by telling them what maintenance items or trouble signs they should be on the lookout for.
The Value of a Content Calendar
There are hundreds of things your customers and potential customers could be interested in. Spend a little time brainstorming and you’ll be able to fill out your social content calendar.
Once you have your calendar of good social content, stay committed to posting it on schedule. Consistency goes hand-in-hand with being relevant. If you do miss a post or are late on one, don’t let it derail your entire program. Get back up and running as soon as you can.
It’s also important to understand that your audience typically won’t see huge gains overnight. Slow and steady wins the social media race. Your efforts will compound over time and every new follower is helping you gain relevance for attracting the next one.
If you remain committed to regularly providing relevant content over time, eventually you’ll reach the place where you have a significant and engaged audience ready to buy and recommend your services.
And that’s a great place to be!
