“Is cutting through the clutter. We need to make it clear why our product or idea is so useful that people just have to spread the word. News you can use.”
Most people don't realize that selling is a skill that can be learned. Your success on Instagram is largely based on your ability to sell.
Instagram is a sales and marketing tool. Most influencers think it's all about posting pictures of themselves and then posting a link to a product that says, “buy this!” -- Selling is not that easy nor are customers that naive.
One group of people who can get away with a "me" strategy are celebrities. Celebrities can post pictures of themselves all day long and tell you which products to buy because they already have a massive audience and super-engaged fans. For anyone else who's not already a celebrity, a "me" strategy will not work. Consumers will only purchase your product if they can see that you care about it.
Be sure to read How Every Consumer Makes Purchase Decisions 101 for more information.
What makes a great sale?
Social proof
Are you giving a detailed story of how your product/service can benefit your consumer?
- Buy/subscribe to this product because of x, y, z
- Here is how it changed my life
- Look, I now have more energy, stability, muscles, better skin, etc.
- Show people your before and after, your results, etc.
Customer proof
Whenever you can, you should show off the customers who are using your product!
- Here are customers or clients who have used my product/service and have had great success
- Here are some testimonials
- Here are their ratings and rankings
Exclusivity
You want to show your audience that they are apart of an exclusive community. You can do this by providing a limited time offering and reposting people who belong to your community!
- Customers want to be a part of something that's exclusive
- In order to truly be on "the in" they have to purchase your product/service!
- Word of mouth will spread in this exclusive community, driving more "like" customers to your product
“Word of mouth is the primary factor behind 20 percent of 50 percent of all purchasing decisions.”
Phrases you can say
Listen to how successful people online say things about their product or service.
Conviction - They talk with conviction and sincerity and show you that this is not just like every other "promoted" product on the market. It's a product or service they really believe in and they have confidence in the benefits it will produce.
The right wording - Even if you only have 5 customers right now, you should use phrases like this in your messaging:
- “Thank you, everyone, for all the amazing feedback!”
- “I love hearing everyone’s story. It gives me so much motivation to keep doing what I’m doing!”
You want to sound bigger than you are (and don't feel bad about doing this if you're not HUGE just yet). Everyone wants a product that is in high demand. People want to see that others are engaging with you before they jump on the engagement bandwagon. By using language like "thank you for all of the comments that keep coming in" you're giving your audience the push they need to send their own comments your way!
Show your followers that you are focused on building a community. You want to call out individuals as often as you can, but choose your phrasing carefully. Make it sound like a ton of people are already using your product and tagging you in their stories/ sending you messages!
Authority - Being sincere and genuine is very important. You want to backup your down to earth demeanor with authority and credibility. Make sure people know your accomplishments, degrees and certifications and show how much your program has positively helped other people.
Showing off your product
Whether it's your app, book, podcast, DVD or e-book, you need to keep a link to your channel in front of your audience at all times. If you take a look at Kayla's Instagram posts, she includes a link to download her app in EVERY one of her IG posts. You need to consistently “sell” around your product/channel if you want to grow as much as possible.
- New workout up
- New recipe up
- New this or that
- Benefit from doing this thing today
- Here is a great tip from me…
- Here is a unique insight I will share from my….
- Here is a success story from my…
- Here is what this customer said
There are 1,000 ways you can consistently sell your product to your customers. If you slack off at any time, your product becomes irrelevant and your consumers move on to the next thing. You have to show them that you care. You have to help them think about all the ways they can get value from your product and become part of your community.
Here is a very quick example. Ray Dalio is selling his book Principles so week after week to keep his sales up and his book relevant he share quotes, customer stories, etc.:
“People like to help others. Therefore, if you have an idea that is a genuine benefit, they will spread the word. Highlight the true value of your product or idea and then package your knowledge and expertise so others can pass it on.
Useful things are important. People don’t just value practical information, they share it. Offering practical value helps make things contagious. ”