Facebook: Your Best 'Soft-Sell' Tactic (Used WISELY, That Is!)
Anyone can turn on their computer these days and go on an exciting shopping trip on the other side of the world. While this opportunity offers choices to your customers that they have never had before, online shopping can also involve a lack of personal connection between the consumer and you.
So, because people are more likely to become return customers in environments in which they’ve felt comfortable, it’s important for florists, as small business owners, to cultivate personal connections between themselves and customers even if they never actually meet face to face. Using social media is an excellent way for them to do this.
Because almost everyone uses Facebook these days, it’s an excellent resource for you to use in increasing and maintaining your visibility. Daily posts help create and maintain connections between existing customers, as well as generate new interest in your products and services.
Your Facebook posts should be relevant to your shop, as well as informative and fairly well-written. Improper use of grammar, as well as poor spelling, will make reflect badly on your shop's professionalism. However, while it’s important to be businesslike, however, don't be afraid to add your own personal touch to your posts. Making posts "your own" is one of the keys to cultivating a loyal client base.
But posting a message isn't the end of your social media responsibilities. You also want to engage your clients in a conversation--that's how you can truly strengthen your personal connections with customers. How can you engage them? One way is to post a question on a daily basis. Doing so invites guest participation on your page. For instance, you could post questions asking customers to comment on their favorite flowers, their most romantic moment involving flowers, whether a particular flower holds a special memory for them or why they wish they received flowers more often.
Another great way to encourage customer interaction is to sponsor a weekly or monthly contest where clients can win promotional items. Prizes need not be large or expensive, just things that are good quality and fun, such as a gift card for a nominal amount or a small vase arrangement. This sort of thing will keep customers coming back.
Keep in mind that whether customers are shopping online or in your brick-and-mortar store, they will return to the places where they felt most at ease and even had some fun.
Also remember: Hard-sell tactics don’t work well with social media. Good quality photographs of merchandise, on the other hand, can help generate interest without being pushy. After all, the Internet is largely a visual world, and colorful pictures often sell themselves much better than descriptive paragraphs can. So use photos judiciously! (But make sure you include a watermark to ensure others know the designs came from your shop!)
Before you go...
Now that you're visiting FlowerChat, take our quick, 3-minute intro video tour here to find out about all the great resources we offer.
Next, delve into more great articles like the one above in our "Blooming Banter" section. "Blooming Banter" is filled with content exclusively written for florists.
If you like what you see, sign up for membership! You can join for FREE! You'll automatically get a 30-day trial to our Pro-level membership. No credit card required.
Pro-level membership gives you access to all areas of the site, including all the forums, the photo gallery, blogs, videos, webinars and downloadable resources.
At the end of 30 days, your membership will automatically convert to our Basic level unless you choose to remain a Pro member. Heck, for the price of about two of those fancy coffee drinks each month, you can continue as a Pro member with all the benefits!
We look forward to seeing you in the forums!
Anyone can turn on their computer these days and go on an exciting shopping trip on the other side of the world. While this opportunity offers choices to your customers that they have never had before, online shopping can also involve a lack of personal connection between the consumer and you.
So, because people are more likely to become return customers in environments in which they’ve felt comfortable, it’s important for florists, as small business owners, to cultivate personal connections between themselves and customers even if they never actually meet face to face. Using social media is an excellent way for them to do this.
Because almost everyone uses Facebook these days, it’s an excellent resource for you to use in increasing and maintaining your visibility. Daily posts help create and maintain connections between existing customers, as well as generate new interest in your products and services.
Your Facebook posts should be relevant to your shop, as well as informative and fairly well-written. Improper use of grammar, as well as poor spelling, will make reflect badly on your shop's professionalism. However, while it’s important to be businesslike, however, don't be afraid to add your own personal touch to your posts. Making posts "your own" is one of the keys to cultivating a loyal client base.
But posting a message isn't the end of your social media responsibilities. You also want to engage your clients in a conversation--that's how you can truly strengthen your personal connections with customers. How can you engage them? One way is to post a question on a daily basis. Doing so invites guest participation on your page. For instance, you could post questions asking customers to comment on their favorite flowers, their most romantic moment involving flowers, whether a particular flower holds a special memory for them or why they wish they received flowers more often.
Another great way to encourage customer interaction is to sponsor a weekly or monthly contest where clients can win promotional items. Prizes need not be large or expensive, just things that are good quality and fun, such as a gift card for a nominal amount or a small vase arrangement. This sort of thing will keep customers coming back.
Keep in mind that whether customers are shopping online or in your brick-and-mortar store, they will return to the places where they felt most at ease and even had some fun.
Also remember: Hard-sell tactics don’t work well with social media. Good quality photographs of merchandise, on the other hand, can help generate interest without being pushy. After all, the Internet is largely a visual world, and colorful pictures often sell themselves much better than descriptive paragraphs can. So use photos judiciously! (But make sure you include a watermark to ensure others know the designs came from your shop!)
Before you go...
Now that you're visiting FlowerChat, take our quick, 3-minute intro video tour here to find out about all the great resources we offer.
Next, delve into more great articles like the one above in our "Blooming Banter" section. "Blooming Banter" is filled with content exclusively written for florists.
If you like what you see, sign up for membership! You can join for FREE! You'll automatically get a 30-day trial to our Pro-level membership. No credit card required.
Pro-level membership gives you access to all areas of the site, including all the forums, the photo gallery, blogs, videos, webinars and downloadable resources.
At the end of 30 days, your membership will automatically convert to our Basic level unless you choose to remain a Pro member. Heck, for the price of about two of those fancy coffee drinks each month, you can continue as a Pro member with all the benefits!
We look forward to seeing you in the forums!