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How To Attract Loyal Customers Through Social Media

It’s not enough to just have a social media account these days. You have to learn to leverage the platform and connect with your fans so that they...

Photo: Maura Hughes; Source: Courtesy Photo
Photo: Maura Hughes; Source: Courtesy Photo

We live in a world where social media has a tremendous impact on society. Millions of potential customers are literally at a business owner’s fingertips every single day.

Whether you love Facebook, Periscope, Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram or any other social media platform, there are plenty of ways to build an audience of brand advocates and followers.

But turning your followers into loyal clients and customers can be a complicated matter.

Luckily, there’s never been a better time to engage with your followers on social media and give them the opportunity to become raving fans. The key to turning social media followers into loyal customers is to strengthen your know, like and trust factor.

Here are some of the best ways to increase know, like and trust with your audience transform them from followers into loyal clients and customers.

 

1. Create a community.

Brands that succeed in turning their social media followers into customers know they have to deliver more than a sales pitch. Social media was created to help people connect and thereby create communities.

Use your own pages as communities and interact with your followers. Post unique content (e.g., behind the scenes shots or sneak peeks). Ask your community for their opinions and give them an opportunity to be seen and heard.

Keep in mind that consumers can find almost anything they could ever want to buy with just a few clicks. Give your followers a reason to seek you out and something to look forward to by providing them with a sense of community.

 

2. Have a mission bigger than sales.

Consumers today, especially millennials, support brands that have a mission or message. They are looking for something to believe in and support. Take TOMS for example, through your purchases, TOMS aims to improve lives by providing shoes, sight, water, safe birth and bullying prevention services to people in need.

 

Source: TOMS
Source: TOMS

While you don’t need to have a charitable mission, you should have a mission that is bigger than sales. Breathe personality and life into your business by creating a core brand mission and developing brand values. This will help elevate your followers to believers, thus strengthening their connection to your business.

 

3. Create more value than you sell.

In addition to having a mission, give your social media followers value instead of just selling or pitching them. Great content falls into four categories: educational, informative, inspirational or entertaining. Your content will vary depending on your industry, but strive to create great content at least 80% of the time. This will help you strengthen the trust factor with your audience; letting them know you’re interested in their needs and not just a quick sell.

 

4. Stay consistent.

Ensure that your message, branding and presence are all consistent on social media platforms. Be present and provide value and content on a regular basis. If you go hot and cold on your audience, they won’t trust you (How could they? You’re too unpredictable!). Similarly, the content you provide should be consistent in its tone, message and branding.

If you post anything and everything in an effort to stay consistent, your audience will not have a clear view of what your community and message is about. If they are unsure of what you stand for, they won’t feel like they know you; ultimately diminishing the likelihood of purchasing from you.

 

Social media is an incredible tool for creating raving fans and loyal customers. It’s not enough to just have a social media account these days. You have to learn to leverage the platform and connect with your fans so that they become loyal customers.

 

This article has been edited and condensed.

Maura Hughes is a transformational leadership coach for female entrepreneurs and founder of The Gutsy Move Club. Based in Washington DC, Maura is on a mission to help women transform into powerhouse leaders and visionaries who run their lives and businesses with integrity, grace and joy. Connect with 
@maura425 on Twitter.

 

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