In case you’re new here, helping small businesses learn the ins and outs of utilizing social media is kinda my jam (see: The Jojotastic School of Social Media). Joking aside, helping small and local businesses is my calling and a passion that I pursue as often as possible. That being said, I know some small businesses aren’t able to afford paying for a full-blown course right now — nor do you have the time! So today, I wanted to share 6 of my BEST tips to help small businesses use social media to promote their product during the holidays and drive sales.
6 Tips for Small Businesses to Use Social Media to Drive Holiday Sales
Use Pinterest!!!
I cannot tell you how many times a local business has asked me if they should be on Pinterest because they offer a local product… and the answer is YES. Not only do Pinterest posts show up in Google search, but people use the app to plan purchases. So even if you don’t offer a nation-wide product right now, you might one day. So in the future that means the person who saved your content can revisit it and actually become a customer. Pinterest also does wonders for brand recognition while driving insane amounts of traffic to your website.
Set up an Instagram shopping
A huge number of people shop via Instagram — even if you don’t run ads. Make it easier for potential customers to buy your product by setting up Instagram shopping. Here is a really helpful guide to walk you through it. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve impulse bought something because it was just so easy to check out via Instagram.
Hone Your Instagram Profile
Speaking of Instagram… make sure that it’s easy for potential new customers to know what you offer! Come up with a catchy, easy-to-understand bio and then utilize the Action Buttons that Instagram offers. For example, you can set up your profile so that people can buy gift cards, book your time, order food and more — simply from your profile.
Tell the story of your product
For me (and I think most people), gift giving is a very personal, emotional thing. Use your social media platforms to tell the story of why your product is special. I absolutely love being able to share what’s so unique about a gift to the recipient — it proves how much care and thought I put into it!
Reach out & toot your own horn
As a blogger, I am always on the hunt for what’s new. Whenever I get an email from a small business, I get excited because it means that they’re doing the work for me! Don’t be afraid to reach out to your favorite online influencer with concise details of your business. I also recommend being very clear about wanting to be included in potential gift guides — don’t be afraid to be direct!
Consistency key
I know that it can feel so overwhelming, but the key to building and maintaining a customer base via social media is by posting consistently. Thankfully there are TONS of tools to help you do just that. I have my personal faves that we cover in depth in The Jojotastic School of Social Media, but my top two recommendations are to use an Instagram planner and to set up looping via Tailwind. You can save SO much time, while also consistently posting and getting eyes on your brand!
As a small business owner myself, I know how stressful this time of year can be. I usually begin planning for the holidays back in July, but this year that just was not in the cards for me. That being said, there is still SO much you can do to keep up and make this a successful quarter of sales. I’m always here for you and please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about what else we cover in The Jojotastic School of Social Media!
