When it comes to marketing, social media platforms are some of the most prominent channels to attract new customers and retain current ones. Each year, these companies introduce new features, and lately, video content has been dominating the digital world.
For businesses everywhere, this means adapting their marketing strategy to keep up and give themselves a competitive edge … So how can retail franchisees, like those at Once Upon A Child®, Plato’s Closet®, Music Go Round®, Play It Again Sports® and Style Encore®, use social media to their advantage?
Find Creative Ways to Highlight Your Products
There are many ways to showcase your unique products, from uploading photos to posting on your story and creating fun and engaging videos. One way to make this content stand out is to come up with a reason to show them off.
For instance, while you can always use a caption like “Check out our new products!” you can also write something more unique. Instead, try “Five festive outfits to turn heads at any holiday party” or “Five unique ways to upgrade your work wardrobe.” Presenting your content as tips for your customers adds value and can help set you apart from other brands posting about similar products.
Furthermore, in most cases, your customers prefer to see what your products look like on real people – not just on the rack. Posting a short TikTok or Instagram Reel showcasing your products on employees, friends or yourself can go a long way.
Hop On the Virtual Event Trend
If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s how beneficial it has been to have technology on our side. If it had occurred just a few decades earlier, we would not have been able to stay in touch with our loved ones – or with our customers – as we have throughout the past year and a half.
This is especially true when it comes to events. Many brands have shifted from in-person events to virtual ones, and webinar platforms like Zoom and Facebook Live have skyrocketed. Whether you’re hosting a launch event, a fundraiser or just a seasonal event to bring the community together, you can significantly extend your reach by taking it online.
This does not necessarily mean you can’t also hold an in-person event. It just means that the more platforms you host it on, the better. Going live on the internet is an excellent way to engage with your followers and stay top-of-mind even while you may not be together in person.
Give Customers a Behind-the-Scenes Look at Your Retail Franchise
Social media allows customers to get to know more about your business and allows them to get to know you and your team. Branding plays a vital role in your social media strategy, and it highlights everything that makes your business unique.
When you’re thinking about what to post, ask yourself: what would make customers want to shop here over other retail stores? Whether it’s the deals you offer, your friendly team or your store’s unique layout, be sure it comes across on your social media profiles.
Experiment with Different Local Platforms
Did you know that communities have their own local platforms and groups, too? Networks like Alignable allow businesses to connect with others in their area, while Yelp and Google My Business help put you on the map for local consumers.
You can also reach more people in your local area by tagging your location in your Facebook and Instagram posts and using hashtags that include the name of your city and metropolitan area.
Post Regularly
One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make when it comes to their social media is not posting frequently or consistently enough. Depending on which platforms you decide to go with, sites like Instagram often favor businesses that post at least five times a week.
Posting “every once in a while” will help you reach your followers, but it’s not as likely to promote follower growth or to drive engagement, and the last thing you want is for followers to view and scroll past your posts without liking or commenting.
Keep Up With the Trends
Finally, one of the best steps you can take to help drive your growth through social media is to keep up with the latest trends. You can do this by closely following industry news and similar businesses in your area. For instance, TikTok, a social sharing platform for short videos, was one of the biggest trends in 2020 and many businesses who joined experienced a significant increase in brand awareness.
You can even try to start your own trend or host a contest by posting a video and encouraging others to join in, such as “Share your favorite outfit under $20.” This can help you showcase the value of your products while engaging your followers to participate. For contests, you can require that they tag your business or use a specific hashtag to enter, thus extending your reach even further.
Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
The best things in life often come from taking chances. While some business owners may have less experience in social media, everyone can learn and grow.
Take things one step at a time. One day, you can focus on learning the ins and outs of Facebook. Next, play around with Instagram and discover new ways to market your resale business.
No matter which route you decide to take, we’re here to help. Contact us today to learn more about Winmark® franchising opportunities and the marketing support we offer.
