How Your Business Should Be Using DMs

Every business should be keeping their ear to the ground for new and impactful marketing tools. And we’ve got one you need to hear—Instagram direct messages (DMs) are an incredibly effective marketing tool for businesses, big and small. Many businesses and brands are overlooking the value of direct contact with customers and potential customers. For many big brands and businesses, it’s easy for customers to feel a lack of genuine connection because that direct contact can be hard to come by—direct messages allow your customers to communicate with you one-on-one in a way they haven’t had the opportunity to do so before. For smaller brands and businesses, customers may not feel comfortable reaching out directly, so it’s important for you to create opportunities for them to do so.

Your Direct Messages Could Be The Secret Sauce for Conversion! So here are 5 ways to make the most out of your DMs:

Invite Customers into Your DMs

Whether you run a social channel for a big corporation, or you’re a solo entrepreneur managing your own social channels, sometimes customers won’t feel comfortable sliding into your DMs. They may be afraid they’re bothering you, or suspect that because the company is so big, their message will go unseen or unanswered. Invite your customers into your DMs! Use a call to action in your Instagram Stories or feed posts directing your audience to reach out to you via DM to chat, offer feedback, etc. Sometimes the invitation is all they need to feel comfortable to start the conversation.

2. Show Up on Instagram Stories

We’ll keep hammering this point home: Instagram Stories are crucial for businesses! Did you know that 1 in 5 Instagram Stories will result in a direct message? It’s one of the easiest ways for your customers to reach out to you—whether it’s through a simple emoji response or starting a conversation.

3. Respond in a Timely Fashion and Respond to Everything

Your DMs provide an opportunity for you to cultivate a relationship and connection with your customers. Leaving messages unread, taking days to respond, or worse, not responding at all, is going to be a huge detriment to the trust and loyalty you are trying to build. While responding to messages may not seem like a big deal to you, for your customers, that response means quite a lot. Whether they’re looking for insight on a product, offering feedback on something they’ve purchased, or just want to say hi, getting a response is validating. Actively engaging with your customers is arguably the best way to build a positive and loyal relationship with them.

4. Use an Automated Response (If you must!)

Normally, we’re not fans of automated responses because they may send the wrong message—i.e., you don’t care about your DMs. However, if you’re inundated with DMs that are flooding your inbox, and you need to buy yourself more time to respond and still let your customers know their message is important and being seen, use an automated response. Consider using something that lets your customer know their message has been received and that they will receive a response within 24-48 hours—and be sure to respond within that time frame!

5. Add a Personal Touch to a DM

A video DM response or a voice memo can actually go a long way. This not only shows that you’re taking time out of your day to send a carefully curated response; it also is customizable. Your customers expect a lot from you, and when you deliver beyond their expectations, their loyalty and trust will grow immeasurably. Taking the time to personalize and customize a message will go a long way, and will help to build a trusting, loyal relationship with your customers.

Written By: Maggie Peikon, AMR Digital Marketing, Content Creator