4 Simple Tweaks to Make More Sales from Social Media

Are you showing up consistently on social media, posting regular content and engaging with others, but you’re still not seeing any sales?

Are you feeling discouraged and like you might just throw in the towel with this online marketing malarkey because it’s just not giving you any results?

Stop! Before you write off social media marketing as a waste of time, you might just need to make a few straightforward tweaks to your strategy to kickstart a stream of sales. There are some traps you might be falling into and mistakes that are quite easily rectified. Keep reading, as the advice in this article might just steer you toward a more rewarding outcome from your efforts.

1. Make it more obvious exactly what you offer

Don’t keep your services a secret!

Sounds obvious, but you’d be amazed at how many people I regularly see posts from, and still have no idea what they do. You need to make it obvious at a glance how you can help someone.

If your posts catch the eye of a potential client, but when they visit your profile they can’t work out exactly how you help them, then chances are they aren’t going to DM you to find out; they’ll lose interest and go somewhere else.

Outline your services in the “about” sections on your social media profiles, and if you have a website, make sure it’s clear how people can work with you on a services or “work with me” page.

Also, post how people can work with you! And do it often. No, it’s not spammy, as long as you’re mixing sales posts with other valuable content. Give people the opportunity to buy from you by telling them clearly and regularly exactly what you do.

More often and more obvious = more sales.

2. Make your content more valuable

If people can’t see any value in your free content (i.e. your social media posts), then why would they value (and hand over money for) your paid services?

No, I don’t want you to give away all of your secret sauce for free, but you do need to regularly provide lots of value to your audience with your marketing content.

After all, if your ideal client feels like they’re benefiting from your free content, they’re going to believe that if they pay for your services, they’re going to get even more out of that.

(Not sure what “valuable content” is or how to create it? I’ve got you - read my article about exactly that topic right here!)

The more value you provide, the more your audience trusts you, and as trust increases, sales go hand in hand.

3. Increase your visibility!

If your ideal client doesn’t know you’re there, they can’t buy from you; it’s as simple as that.

More eyeballs on your business = more opportunities to sell.

So how can you be seen by more people? There are a few straightforward changes you can make to boost your visibility:

• Make sure you have keywords in your social media names/bios/headlines so you’re searchable when your ideal client is trying to find you. For example, if you’re a Business Development Consultant, make sure your job title on LinkedIn says that, and not “Creator of Opportunities” or something else you’ve made up. Yes, it’s creative, but it’s not going to help you be seen by the right people.
• Post more frequently! I know that’s not what you want to hear, but it’s the truth. If you’re only putting up a couple of updates a month, you’re definitely missing out on new business. You don’t need to be glued to your phone 24/7, but you do need to post at least 2 or 3 times a week to be seen regularly enough for your social media to shift the needle on your sales. Remember, the more you post, the more chance there is that your ideal client will see you.*
• Post where your ideal client hangs out. Do your research and work out which platforms your target audience uses most, and post there. Remember, your marketing isn’t really about you, it’s about them! So if you’re targeting people in their 20s and 30s, you might want to focus on TikTok (even if you’ve dismissed it as “just full of teenagers dancing”). If you want to reach business owners, then get more active on LinkedIn!
• Actively engage with your ideal client. Yes, go and search them out and leave (thoughtful) comments on their content. Don’t just wait for them to stumble across you - go out and show them that you’re there!

*a caveat: don’t post for the sake of it. Rubbish, rushed posts you’re posting just to hit a number will have an adverse effect and put your audience off working with you. It’s about balancing quality and quantity.

4. Show us the till!

Similar to point 1, but this is probably the most impactful thing you can do to get more sales from social media…

… ask for the sale!

Yes, ask for business. Post and say, “This is how you can work with me. Are you interested? Yes? DM me/book here/buy here.”

Post your offers and ask people to work with you at least once per week.

You can also reach out to people who have left comments on your content and set up a call with them. If they’ve posted something that leads you to believe you could genuinely help them, then you’re doing them a favour by messaging them and offering to talk them through what you do. What’s the worst that can happen? They say no, and you’re no worse off than you were before you spoke to them.

Sell. To. Us.

So there we go. In the grand scheme of things, each one of these is a small and simple change. A few tweaks to your profiles, posting a couple of extra times a week and thinking a bit more critically about your content. Saying, “This is how you can work with me. Want in?”

They’re not massive, difficult, life-altering actions to take, but small changes add up into big changes. Try these out, and you’ll soon see more sales coming from your social media!

I’d really like to know what you thought of these tips - will you be adopting any - or all - of them into your social media strategy? Leave a comment/get in touch letting me know your thoughts.