4 Simple Ways Your Business Can Acquire New Customers With Social Media
by Pia Silva
Most of us probably spend way too much time scrolling through our Facebook and Instagram feeds these days. And while it may not be the best way to spend your free time, the sheer amount of time we spend on social shows just how much opportunity it has for freelancers and solopreneurs to acquire new customers.
I’m not talking about standard ad posts, either. With a few simple yet creative methods, you can turn social media into a customer-generating goldmine.
1. Connect Quickly And Personally Through DMs
Social media is all about being social. Your posts give people a chance to interact with you through likes and comments, but once you’ve formed those initial connections, it’s time to slide the party over to your DMs.
A personal DM conversation is the perfect way to quickly move someone from “cold contact” stranger to a closed client.
But that’s not going to happen if you bash them over the head with a sales pitch right off the bat.
Instead, start a conversation where you can offer some meaningful value. Andrea Dardi, a private banking expert, sends visual and engaging content to connect. He explains, “For LinkedIn prospects, I create whiteboard animation videos and infographics to quickly communicate current investment trends. For Instagram users, I send stories that explain basic market concepts. This is content I’ve already created, so it’s easy to send over to provide value.”
But don’t just send the info, get a conversation going first. Asking the right questions and sharing helpful information will help you form a real connection with your prospects and send them content they actually want to see.
When done right, this can quickly lead them to ask about the services you offer to help solve their problems.
2. Talk About Your Lead Product And Link It To A Phone Call
I can’t say it enough: free consultations are never a good idea. This is how you sell yourself short. So don’t use social media to set up free consulting sessions.
Instead, use it sell your lead product. This is a concept I teach in my Bootcamp to eliminate free strategy sessions or proposals. Instead, have a small, super valuable but also easy-to-buy offer that you can pitch to your ideal clients on the inital call.
For my design agency, we start with a paid “Brandshrink” engagement to determine the branding and business strategy that leads into our primary branding services.
No matter what your initial offer is, you should talk about it often on social media. But don’t use a generic “learn more” call to action. Instead, have your CTA encourage prospects to book a call to see if it’s a fit for them.
Since you are not offering a free consultation, the people booking calls will be actual potential buyers — not freeloaders who are going to waste your time.
3. Trade ‘Face Time’ On Others’ Platforms To Find New Buyers
Social media makes it easy to find others who have a similar audience to you, but aren’t direct competitors.
Let’s say Bill and Marty are each solopreneurs working in marketing. Bill is a copywriter, while Marty is a graphic designer. They each have similar audiences — other businesses trying to improve their marketing and branding.
After connecting on social media, Bill makes Marty an offer to trade “face time” on each others’ platforms. Bill appears in Marty’s Facebook group for an interview one week, while Marty appears in Bill’s group the next week.
Both Bill and Marty get a chance to share their knowledge with new, relevant followers. This lets them attract new followers to their own social media accounts. Bill and Marty can then use their lead products (paired with that phone call CTA, of course) to turn these new followers into customers.
When you trade face time with someone whose target audience matches your own, you could get several new clients from a single video appearance. Break out of your comfort zone and start reaching out!
4. Use Voice Memos
While there isn’t anything inherently wrong with text messages, they can feel a bit impersonal at times. One often-overlooked social media feature that I love is the voice memo.
Once you’ve connected with someone on social media, you have the option to send them a voice message. This is a great chance to better introduce yourself and your offer. Facebook lets you send voice memos from your desktop or phone, making this easy to do with just a few clicks.
There’s something intimate and warm that comes when you hear the voice of a living, breathing person. It helps show off your personality and forms a much stronger connection than if you just sent a text-only message. Believe it or not, I’ve actually hired people based on a cold voice message they sent me!
Sending a voice memo at the right time can also make a big difference in trying to gain and keep customers. Reminders about upcoming events (like your “lead product” consultation call) or even a request for feedback will show that you are fully invested in the customer.
Of course, before the connection you have to have content that builds your brand so that these reach outs bear fruit. Click here to grab 10 more tips on what to post on social media to grow your brand so that these strategies actually turn into clients.
You can spend all your time on social media scrolling through what other people are doing, or you can use it to actively grow your business. Choose wisely, and you’ll get the growth you’re looking for!