Social media is here to stay (like it or not), and it’s a valuable tool in your marketing toolbox.
Social media platforms give you the ability to engage with your followers and create a connection with your customers and potential customers. When followers feel like they are interacting with a real and genuine person, they are more likely to pay attention to the content you are sharing. Additionally, engaging with followers by responding to comments helps show that you care about them and their opinion. This will help build trust and encourage customers to interact with your business in the future, which will then increase your sales and profits.
In our last blog post, we talked about the importance of turning your followers into paying customers (you can read that here).
But what do we post to social media to make it engaging?
Social Media needs three things to be successful.
- Frequency
- Relevance to your “brand”
- Connection to your followers
Coming up with new and compelling ideas is a challenge, especially since you need to be posting something at least weekly on your various social media sites.
Here’s a list of potential categories of posts:
New products – It could be something new you have started or an old favorite that people love. Or maybe it’s seasonal car maintenance that people need to get done, or your proprietary salad dressing you are bottling and selling – whatever it is, shout it from the rooftops!
New service – Have you started takeout, or delivery, home pick up of cars, or streamlined an old process that irritated customers and now it is improved? Added a new service? You can’t assume people will automatically notice those changes; you need to share it. ESPECIALLY if it’s something that will make their lives easier.
Safety protocols – Everyone wants to feel safe. There is probably a lot of things that you are doing that may not be visible to your customers, or they may not understand why you have started doing something a new way. Share your processes, reasons why, and the regulations you are adhering to. 
Funny memes or jokes – Making people laugh is one of the best ways to connect with them and make them remember you. The humor can be related to your type of business, your popular items, a special event, your town or state, your sports team. There’s a caveat though…these ALWAYS need to be in good taste, so make sure you have a few people to act as your filter before you post.
Behind-the-Scenes –These posts could be pictures or videos to help you humanize your business for followers. They demonstrate that your business is run by a team of people and helps give your brand personality. Think about things that would be of interest, perhaps teach them something. Behind-the-scenes shots help establish your authenticity and trustworthiness.
Videos (Reels) – These can be short and don’t need to have huge production value. There’s no end to the ideas – mix it up with promotional, instructional and entertainment value. Show your mechanics or chefs hard at work, the bartender making a new cocktail creation, show the bays full of cars (never show an empty business!), highlight your best customers, show off renovations or upgrades, have some fun with the staff, award prizes for a contest, or video a contest drawing. Above all, these videos give you the opportunity to demonstrate your personality and team culture.
Testimonials – All of your marketing needs to include testimonials and social media is no different. Use screen shots of Google or TripAdvisor reviews, or create your own format (a great tool is www.canva.com) and select ones that highlight the things that you most want to highlight about your establishment.
How tos – “Make a margarita” “check your tire pressure” etc – anything can be shared here – think of all the YouTube videos out there will people demonstrating things… whatever tips and tricks people might find intriguing and feel that they can attempt themselves.
Customer photos – If a customer tags you on their social media account, make sure it appears on yours. People trust what others have to say about you more than what you say. Encourage people to use a specific hashtag when posting photos of their time in your business, that way you can easily find them and use them. Solicit entries for “Customer Photo of the Week” and make sure you credit the contributor.
Staff openings – Your customers are a great resource for staff. They might have children or friends that are looking for jobs. They know what they like about you and your business and are more likely to recommend someone who will suit your culture because of that familiarity. You could consider a bonus if they find you a winner.
Rewards Program signup – Electronic sign ups to your Royalty Rewards® Program should be easily done by having the reader click a link to your online signup. You could also include a link that goes directly to the download of your Rewards App that would allow them to sign up and start earning their points immediately. Your Coach can provide these for you.
Contest details AND contest winners/prizes – You are having contests, aren’t you? They go so far to engage people and get them excited about an event and when you have the draw or announce the winners – it should be a big deal on all your social media sites.
Quizzes – Everyone loves to get quizzed, so give them the opportunity to give you feedback. Flavors, song choices, car styles? You can make them serious or fun and glean some valuable information in the process.
Here’s the number one, top Secret to Social Media Success.
People respond to your posts by liking it, sharing it, or commenting on it. And they ONLY do that because it serves their own social purpose. It fills a need for THEM.
If they respond to a post that is funny, it’s because they want to show people that THEY are funny.
If they respond to a post that is fascinating, they want to demonstrate to their followers that they are fascinating.
You need to write each post with that in mind. It needs to “sell” what you want people to know about you and your services, AND it needs to give your followers content that fulfills their social purposes, connecting them to you and moving them closer to becoming a paying customer rather than one who just follows you.
