Do You Think Social Media is So Great?

Are you getting followers but no sales?  Are you struggling to even get followers? Let’s look at how social media may (or may not) impact your business. This is a minefield so be prepared.

2nd Dive Into Social in 2 Months. Why?

With a new year, there are all kinds of “experts” who want to show you how to up your followers on social media platforms. It’s the time of year we make that New Year’s resolution; we’re going to be consistent and post on XYZ platforms because…we’ve been told we should. Should we?

What is the Conversion Rate of a Follower to a Sales Lead?

How many followers actually buy from you? That’s the big question. It’s the reason we burn out with social media and all other forms of communication with prospects. The %s are pretty low across the board.

These are the top Social Media Platforms (and I’ve included Email for a reason). But no platform will give you conversions if you’re not offering a solution to a viewer’s problem. Quality content is critical. You also have to gauge your audience. What demographic are you marketing to? Where do they hang out?  There are pros and cons to every one. And 1 platform isn’t here, YouTube…more later.

What’s the Point When the Conversion Rate for Social Media is So Low?

The point is that without being on the scroll at all there’s no way anyone - and I mean anyone - will find you. Word of mouth is great but it’s hard to scale with only that form of marketing. 

You also have to stop the scroll, no matter what platform. So, learn what performs on that platform and follow the rules. Because social media is full of rules…

If you do your homework and zero in on your market and where they hang out, you won’t burn out. You’ll use your time and energy wisely. That’s the key to social media. In the US, 230 Million people are scrolling social media daily, and they might be interested in what you have to say. So a low conversion rate on a LOT of people adds up. But only if you do it right. U.S. average daily media use 2023 | Statista

But What About the Conversion Rate for Email?

Yep, it’s higher. But it’s all about the subject line. Just like the title of a book, you have to grab interest. And let’s not forget, you have to get that email in the first place. So there’s some groundwork before email will help your business. Cold Email Open Rates Explained and Exposed 

You can’t just send out emails willy-nilly. That’s called spamming. And your business won’t see any benefit when all your emails end up in the spam folder. Emails have a high conversion rate because you’ve already received buy-in from the receiver. They’ve said, “Yes, I’d like to receive emails from you.” 

And there’s a big difference in conversion rates between general email and targeted email. What’s the difference? 

A general email is generic, the same information is sent to everyone on your list, no matter what their interest or knowledge level. Your company newsletter is a good example of a general email. And that’s a good use of the whole list.

A targeted email is sent to a certain group of people on your list who you’ve identified as having specific interests, buying behaviors, demographics, or needs. A targeted email is also personalized. Segmenting your email list gives you higher engagement which leads to more conversions.

Why Could Emails Be Better than Social Media in the Long Run?

The #1 reason is that you own your email list. You own those addresses and the loyalty that comes from giving those interested people solutions to their problems. You determine the number of times you send out communications, what kind of communications you send out, and how you respond. 

On the surface, that sounds just like social media. But the difference is that the social media algorithm determines if what you’re posting is valuable or even allowable. In other words, the algorithm decides if your content is relevant or wanted by the user. 

Have you ever heard of a social media platform pulling down content or even closing an account because of content it (whatever “it” is) deemed unacceptable? I think we all have horror stories about that. Especially in this space where we’re butting up against the Status Quo quite often.

But to make e-mail a part of your marketing you have to get consumer buy-in. How do you get that buy-in? You have to offer folks something so valuable they will give you their email for it. It’s called a “lead generation” piece. And it is different for every business. But the most effective, in my opinion, are infographics and short reports that answer the main questions that keep coming up about your business. 

You can answer those questions in blogs, videos, or social media posts, or…you can offer on those platforms to send an “Answers to All Your Questions” digital piece in exchange for an email address. Which sounds like the better business move to you?

But When I Answer All the Questions Aren’t I Giving Everything Away?

No, because there will always be more questions. As you’re reading this, I’m giving you answers. Am I answering all your questions? No. There’s no way I can read your mind and know exactly what you need to know. And that’s the same for anyone interested in sustainable or regenerative topics. 

And Then There’s YouTube - and Google

If you have a Google account and a Gmail address, in the eyes of almost all the world you are a professional. It also makes it easy for you to integrate customer relationship management (CRM) tools that are also email marketing platforms. It’s easier to track the effectiveness of your email campaign when it’s integrated with an analytics tool.

Why is this separate? It’s the #2 search engine behind Google. And it’s owned by Google. YouTube is all about giving as much value as possible. According to Google, 70% of YouTube users say they’ve made a buying decision after watching a product or service video. If you’re using YouTube right you can gain as much as 10% - 30% of your sales from this platform alone. 

YouTube is a valuable tool for creating awareness of your solutions to problems and introducing people to your website (which has to kick butt). It’s also one of the most important ways to close the sale and keep the customer. After-sale tips and tricks are what keep folks returning and referring.

Avoid Burnout by Listening to Your Audience and Knowing Their Interests

Every time a customer buys something from you or even asks a question, you have an opportunity. Every interaction with a customer, or non-customer, is a chance to gather information. The more information you have, the more targeted your messaging can become, and the more you increase your conversion %s. 

We all love to talk about ourselves. To have a successful business we have to shut up and listen to what buyers are looking for, what their problems are, and what kind of solutions they’ve already tried. Yes, I know this is easier said than done…I have all the same problems you have. And I, too, would like to talk to you about my business, marketing - and how it’ll change your life. 

But I know the regenerative and sustainable businesses out there won’t gain any market share if I don’t listen to what problems need to be solved. In your little corner of the world and market, the problems and solutions will be different than for anyone else. 

We Each Are Unique - Both the Challenges and the Triumphs in Communicating Our Value

Each of us has a unique view of the issues that are causing worldwide climate change. That means we each have an opportunity to share our solution with that person who needs it for their problem. Isn’t that exciting!?

That’s my take on social media and e-mail.  Marketing campaigns are only as good as their weakest link. For some, it’ll be social media, for others website content. The age of video is here and many of us in the regenerative and sustainability spaces haven’t caught up. We always have to remember someone else is supplying solutions to consumer problems. The Status Quo is moving full speed ahead into Facebook and Instagram reels, educational YouTubes, and email as generic offerings with lead-gen pieces to create more targeted emails. 

We’ve got to be smarter, offer more value, and be more nimble. Our businesses depend on it, and more importantly, so does our Planet. 

It’s 3PM - It’s Not Too Late

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