Marketers need to make changes in their company internet marketing strategies as the new age social marketing calls for new strategies. The time tested sales pitch and self promotion won’t give you desired results. Here are some useful strategies to help you convert your online contacts into customers.
Develop a communication plan
Before you start socially engaging with potential customers, you need to have a long-term communication plan in place. An effective method of doing this is by collecting email addresses and sending potential customers useful tips, updates and resources at regular intervals.
Build your social credibility
Customer recommendations and testimonials are the best tool for building social credibility. LinkedIn is a useful site to get testimonials. Display these on your blogs, social outlets and websites. These provide potential customers a proof of your credibility.
Be generous, but set some boundaries
Generosity in sharing your knowledge and resources will help you connect with people and convert them into customers. While being generous, you need to set some boundaries to ensure profitable business. For instance, limit the amount of time spent on chatting with a particular person or a group to 3 – 5mins. If someone asks for your advice through email, you can offer it freely the first three times and ask for business the next time.
Be sincere, not desperate
Be sincere about developing relationships with people, rather than connecting just to get a business deal. Customers can differentiate between sincerity and desperation. Keep this in mind when interacting with your social contacts with the hope of converting them onto customers.