The 6 Steps To Getting New Customers Using Social Media

A strong presence on social media is no longer an option – it’s a necessary marketing strategy for any business. Restaurants, auto repair, retail, professionals, candlestick maker, dogwalker…EVERYONE!
Potential new customers are searching online for the businesses they need/want. And eventually, that will lead them to your online review sites, website, and social media platforms. Once there – once they choose to follow you – you are one step closer to making them a long-term paying customer.

Step 1: Discover Who Your Ideal “Follower” Is

Identifying your target audience is crucial. It helps you tailor your content creation to best connect with potential customers.

Ideally, you have a customer list and know the buying behavior of those customers. This can usually be pulled from your loyalty program database or POS software. By honing in on key demographic information such as age, gender, zip codes, and interests, you can create content and marketing initiatives that speak directly to their needs and desires.

List all the commonalities you can see in your existing customers. Identifying your target audience will pay off in the long run by helping you attract more new customers, just like your current best customers.

“You need to know who you’re talking to to be successful”-Michael Thibault

If you need help building a massive audience on Social Media-QUICKLY, click the button below and schedule a customized marketing plan and review of your online presence with the head of our DFY Social Media program Tara. She will analyze what you’re doing and tell you exactly how we can build you a massive list in 30 days.

Step 2: Develop A Strategy for Social Media

Next, you must consider how to talk to those ideal customers, the tone of voice, the language, and the topics. Demonstrate your personality, your values, and your company culture.

Scared? Don’t be. Here is a list of some questions to help you develop your persona:

• Focus on what’s in it for them.
• Have a consistent tone of voice; it builds trust.
• Using first-person makes you relatable and personable.
• Don’t always be selling as it turns people off.
• Photos need to include people – not an empty business.
• Use video.
• Get a Canva account, it is a great graphics tool, and there’s a free version.

Using this as a starting point will make your social media presence a powerful tool for building and reaching your business goals.

An example from one of our clients who uses our Facebook New Customer Aquisition Program.

Step 3: Picking Your Social Media Platforms

Identify the platforms where your target audience is most active and tailor your content accordingly. For example, if you’re targeting millennials, Instagram and TikTok are great platforms to focus on, whereas LinkedIn would be better suited for a professional audience.

By consistently providing high-quality content that resonates with your followers, you’ll gradually build a loyal following and establish yourself as the best option in your niche, which you can then turn into paying customers.

Step 4: How To Come Up With Stuff They’ll Read/Watch/Listen To

An example from one of our clients. Their team does a fantastic job of keeping their customers engaged & up-to-date on the latest from their restaurant.

Here’s where the rubber meets the road. What do you post that both captivates and compels?
Here are some great content ideas to get you started:

• Behind the scenes, people love to know what’s really going on.
• Throwback stories – how did your business become what it is?
• Spotlight employees: featuring real people who put in the work builds connection.
• Share new products and services.
• Showcase the customer experience.
• Share what you do that’s unique to you, better than your competition.
• Show testimonials – use your online reviews.
• Repost customer social media posts who tagged you.
• Demonstrate your company culture and values.
• How-to guides or tutorials.
• Seasonal promotions or offers.
• Inspirational or motivational quotes related to your business.
• Collaborations or partnerships with other small businesses.

The more you get your audience involved, the more “likes” you will get and the more followers. Encourage your followers to share, like, and comment on your content. Incentivize them by offering promotional items, free products, or a chance to win a prize. User-generated content can be a great way to increase your reach and engagement.

Step 5: How Often And How Much?

Make a schedule and be consistent. A general rule of thumb is to post at least weekly on all your platforms. Posts will only be seen by a small percentage of your followers, so frequency is vital. The great thing is that there are ways to schedule the content in advance, so you can set it up once a month (or whatever you choose) and then let it run automatically.

And remember, you don’t always want to be selling – though everything can have a reminder at the end about a sale, special event, or something that encourages action from your readers. Social media is great because a link can be included to a booking or ordering page without them having to change media…buying is simply a click away.

Step 6: Turning Them Into PAYING Customers

“Nothing happens until a sale is made.” Thomas Watson, Sr.,
President of International Business Machines (IBM) from 1914 to 1956.

Once you have a strong following, you can offer promotions and offers to followers. This can be in the form of exclusive or limited-time offers to followers or the opportunity to join your loyalty program.

Engaging with followers by responding to comments and direct messages can make followers feel valued and help build relationships with them. This will lead to increased trust, loyalty, and repeat business.

Finally, you can leverage social media advertising to reach new customers. Targeting specific demographics or interests allows businesses to reach potential customers who may not have heard of you before. Social media advertising is a cost-effective way to reach new customers and grow a business.

Looking for an expert analysis of your social media possibilities and how to turn social media into big sales for your restaurant? Click the button below and schedule a DFY Custom Social Media Review and Plan. $297 value, yours FREE cause we love our DFY family.