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Successfully marketing a small business using Pinterest is a technique that many look at as a "new" thing in business. The problem is there is a silent majority who feel out of their depth when it comes to new sites. Pinterest and other social media sites seem to intimidate those who feel they aren't computer savvy, but they shouldn't. This article will go over the basics of using Pinterest to promote a small business.
Invest in having a quality product.
This will always be true no matter what age it is. If you have a quality product, it will generate interest. If the product is not good, there is very little that marketing can do to help it in the long term. This is even more true in a world with the internet. Bad reviews and news of product faults spreads much faster than good news, and count for much more. The 99 clients that walked away satisfied are not likely to say so, but the 1 customer who isn't will complain and shape the perception of a business for the entire online community. Invest in the product first.
Invest in the creation of good media to share.
Social media is exactly what its name suggests. It is a way for people to share media files that interest them. Articles, videos, pictures, websites. Social media thrives because people enjoy sharing what catches their interest or compels them. Therefore, the best way to generate business using sites like Pinterest is to ensure that the business is generating compelling content to start with.
Have a good website.
This is especially important with Pinterest because your business website is its storefront and is more important than the physical space the business is located in, especially for a start-up business. But having a good website isn't enough when it comes to social media as it requires always having something new to share. As stated above, businesses will have to invest in creating good copy about their product.
Have great photos.
A small business may want to hire a photographer to create interesting images about its product or service, or how it has affected the lives of clients. The goal is to be creative and generate content around but not necessarily about the product or service being marketed.
Consider a blog.
A great way to use Pinterest is to maintain a blog that you then share on Pinterest. For example, a business selling tax software should ensure that it puts out stories about saving money on taxes or tax filing tips, etc. A social media company (that's us) could put out tips on using social media. Here's the board I did for my blog. It's very simple and just auto-posts my blogs as they come out.
You should strive to be a source of information about the field you are in as well as a source of a service. This will drive traffic to the company, and it will ensure that the clients view it as an authority to be trusted.
Share other people's stuff.
Make sure that while you are putting your stuff up on Pinterest that you also share other stuff that your followers might find useful. I have a board that I just pop other social media stuff onto that is not only helpful for my followers and clients but that is helpful for me when I go to do social media for myself or others.
Your followers are not just a group to be sold to.
Lastly, you can't afford to treat clients as clients on social media sites. That means that they can't only be treated as a group to sell to. Successful use of social media will mean "Liking" and commenting on others' Pinterest boards in order to generate traffic back to your own.
The point of all social media is to be "social." Showing your personality as a human and a business is what people are looking for. They want to know you care about them as people before they will buy from you.
Pinterest has changed and grown a lot over the years and if you aren't using it for your business and want to brainstorm HOW to use it for your business, hit me up. Let's talk about it.
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