Direct selling consists of selling products directly to consumers and building a customer and sales representative network. Storytelling, providing value and building relationships are core elements of direct sales. Though direct sales have evolved, these principles have remained the same. If you want to succeed in direct selling, you have to use social media for direct selling!
Direct sales representatives have had the opportunity to increase their networks further than ever before thanks to the power of the internet and social media in recent years.
Direct sales have remained essentially the same for over a century despite technological advances that make reaching customers outside the local market easier. It is possible to be successful in direct sales if you identify a target market and meet its needs, build relationships, and tell stories about your business. We may use different vehicles now, but the message remains the same. Social media provides a more efficient way of promoting your products, while still providing that personal feel that direct selling is all about.
Promotions can be easily set up on social networking sites, and campaigns can be created with a click of a button. Moreover, they are good for word of mouth marketing. They make quick and easy marketing contests. They are especially popular among Millennials-who are able to spend money on online purchases.
- Focusing on Facebook Live
Facebook pages are quite common for direct selling companies. Having one allows you to share photos and information from all over the world through one central location, and people can subscribe by just clicking the “like” button, so it’s a very easy process. Additionally, Facebook offers a variety of features that benefit direct sellers beyond posting products and sharing content. The intimacy of a live video establishes a more personal connection between the speaker and the audience. A live video is often more spontaneous and less polished than a pre-recorded video. Yet it implies authenticity in a way that pre-made content cannot. It also gives your audience a sense of participation in your creative process.
- Use Social Listening Tools
Your products, services or community are already being discussed by others – especially with social media and certain platforms that allow you to search for keywords such as your name, product or other touchpoints. By listening to your target audience, your community, and ultimately your customers, you can start relevant conversations and build meaningful relationships.
- Strategic Content
If a company’s posts don’t appeal to its followers, they will quickly stop paying attention. If a social media marketing campaign isn’t successful, the content it shares will play a major role. Therefore, it is crucial for direct sales companies to create and curate content that is both valuable to consultants and customers, and also able to help them build personal relationships. It’s important for followers to feel like every piece of content is being created with them in mind. Asking for questions, images, or stories, and responding to them in posts, is one way of accomplishing this. By sharing valuable tutorials and tips, you can show your followers your attention is being paid to their needs.
- Incentivize Engagement
There are multiple ways to engage your audience, including games, surveys, contests, and referral programs. Games, surveys, contests, and referral programs can be a huge hit on any Facebook Page or Group. Most people are competitive, which leads to fantastic engagement. While this can be a good way to build your community, it can also serve as a very good way to generate leads and sell more products.
Using various social media platforms and content mediums can help you inject some fun into your marketing mix and grow both your community and revenue. In the direct selling industry, the landscape is constantly changing, so staying updated on new trends, tips and techniques is a must.
- Attraction Marketing
Direct sales, also referred to as social selling, involves the sale of our products to people who are interested in socializing with us, whether it be online or in person. We are able to attract people who aspire to be like us, who trust us, and who like the way we act. You can make your social media presence and branding more appealing by using the power of attraction.
The following methods can be used by direct sales businesses to use attraction marketing:
- Don’t forget to optimize and complete all your social media profiles, and ensure they are consistent across all platforms.
- Create an easy way for your audience to follow you on all platforms and stay in touch with you.
- Your social media profiles and posts should use visually appealing and compelling imagery.
- Keep your professionalism while remaining authentic.
- Your audience can learn to trust you by giving them glimpses into your business and personal life.
- Your personality should shine through the screen, so the audience feels as if they are getting to know you.
- Your blog and social media posts should use storytelling to engage readers and followers.
Make your writing personal by speaking directly to the reader.
With just a few posts, you should be able to provide readers and social media followers with an insight into who you are, your personality, your values, and your mission. By using social media for direct selling, you can improve your chances of success drastically.