Making Social Media Part of the Customer Journey - #TuesdayThoughts

Social media marketing is a strong and reliable technique to push your potential customers through the customer journey. Social media platforms are constantly changing and adapting and there is real skill in utilising these to transform a potential customer into a recurring one. There are usually 5 stages that a customer will go through in building a relationship with your brand before they will decide to purchase, download or contact you.

Stage 1: Awareness

This is when a customer will first learn about your brand. Due to the introduction of social media and their role in marketing, there are multiple more techniques that you can use to raise awareness for your company. On social media this can be done freely by posting, retweeting, liking and sharing. A way to raise even more awareness for your brand is to invest some money in boosting these posts to audience who would not have seen them otherwise. This is a much cheaper way than traditional media and will allow you to target specific areas, genders, job roles etc. Social media marketing allows you to take on a much more targeted approach for your marketing.

Stage 2: Consideration

This is the stage where the potential customer will start to engage with your business and express interest in your product/service. Through social media this could be things such as liking or commenting on a post, or sharing an article that is on your website. By remaining consistent throughout your posts you will remain at the forefront of the potential customers mind and will not fall by the wayside.

Stage 3: Purchase

This is the part where your social media marketing efforts will pay off. If your customer is seriously considering purchasing from your business, social media could be the small nudge they need to press the button. Many times, potential customers will go to social media pages to see of any sales, discount codes or past successes of the company. If you vocalise these regularly then this could be what pushes them over the edge to decide to purchase from you.

Stage 4: Loyalty

Just because a customer has decided to purchase from your organisation, this does not mean that the customer journey has ended. If you keep these customers details on your database, or retain their following on social media then it is easy to communicate any future messages that may appeal to them. Occasionally it can be easier and more efficient to retain a loyal customer than focus on gaining new ones. Consistency is key with social media and recurring customers will be reminded of your business frequently if you maintain this.

Stage 5: Referral

If your product/service has satisfied your customers needs and wants then it is likely that they will refer you to someone/a business they know is looking for something similar. Nowadays, similar to the original customer, these referrals will check your various social media pages as well as your website, to get a certain idea of what sort of business you are. Posting interesting articles, sharing your successes and showcasing your expertise regularly will impress a wide range of potential customers.

For any more advice on your social media marketing, contact me here. Advice is free!