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Social Media: Jump on the Bandwagon!
Listed under: Retail Clinic
Published: Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Web expert Nikki Pilkington, founder of Nikkipilkington.com, reveals the secrets of tapping into this market
Just as Twitter was the buzzword in 2009, social media seems to be the phrase on the tip of everyone's tongues in 2010, with comments such as “If you're not doing it, you're missing out,” “You can get millions of pounds worth of sales within ten minutes of 'doing' it,” and “Social media is the new Google,” all becoming increasingly common. But is all the hype worth it? Well, yes and no.
Social media DOES work well for a lot of industries and, if done properly, can generate a lot of sales. But, like any other marketing medium, it takes time and effort to sustain and isn't without its pitfalls.
Here's a quick guide to the various parts of Social Media that craft retailers should be embracing.
Blogging
Crafts and the act of making things both lend themselves well to this medium and simply writing regularly about the projects you are working on, showing pictures of things you have completed and letting readers know about any special offers you might have at the store, can increase your readership, as well as your sales. Businesses can set up free blogs on sites such as http://www.wordpress.org, or pay to have one integrated into their own pages if they don't have the necessary technical skills.
Twitter
Fast paced and quick to generate traffic, Twitter is ideal – once you have built up a following. Short messages of 140 characters mean retailers will need to be concise, and Twitpic will allow them to post pictures of the items they are selling and encourage a loyal following. What's more, it is also highly likely that their readers will tell their own friends and families about them as well.
Facebook
Whether companies use their own profile or set up a Facebook Business page, this is a great place for them to showcase their work, chat to individuals who like it, and sell their goods. I have bought many things from people I have come across on these kinds of pages, and it does work if it is done properly. However, it's important for retailers to listen to their 'fans' and share other things with them too, so the pages do not appear to be all 'me me me'!
YouTube
Crafts is where YouTube comes into its own, and businesses can post homemade videos of themselves making their items, walk people around their workshops and display images of customers playing, wearing and talking about their goods. The list of videos retailers could produce is endless! And with a small Flip camera costing around £75, it is not out of everyone's reach cost-wise either!
Of course, all of the above require time and effort, particularly when it comes to learning, researching and working out how to do it properly. Businesses will also need to put a lot of energy into keeping up with the updates, replies and comments. But, if the end result is more exposure for their company and greater sales of their items, then the effort is surely worth it.
Nikki Pilkington is an internet and social media marketing expert and founder of Nikkipilkington.com. Her company is renowned across Europe for its team of innovative and experienced team.
Social media DOES work well for a lot of industries and, if done properly, can generate a lot of sales. But, like any other marketing medium, it takes time and effort to sustain and isn't without its pitfalls.
Here's a quick guide to the various parts of Social Media that craft retailers should be embracing.
Blogging
Crafts and the act of making things both lend themselves well to this medium and simply writing regularly about the projects you are working on, showing pictures of things you have completed and letting readers know about any special offers you might have at the store, can increase your readership, as well as your sales. Businesses can set up free blogs on sites such as http://www.wordpress.org, or pay to have one integrated into their own pages if they don't have the necessary technical skills.
Fast paced and quick to generate traffic, Twitter is ideal – once you have built up a following. Short messages of 140 characters mean retailers will need to be concise, and Twitpic will allow them to post pictures of the items they are selling and encourage a loyal following. What's more, it is also highly likely that their readers will tell their own friends and families about them as well.
Whether companies use their own profile or set up a Facebook Business page, this is a great place for them to showcase their work, chat to individuals who like it, and sell their goods. I have bought many things from people I have come across on these kinds of pages, and it does work if it is done properly. However, it's important for retailers to listen to their 'fans' and share other things with them too, so the pages do not appear to be all 'me me me'!
YouTube
Crafts is where YouTube comes into its own, and businesses can post homemade videos of themselves making their items, walk people around their workshops and display images of customers playing, wearing and talking about their goods. The list of videos retailers could produce is endless! And with a small Flip camera costing around £75, it is not out of everyone's reach cost-wise either!
Of course, all of the above require time and effort, particularly when it comes to learning, researching and working out how to do it properly. Businesses will also need to put a lot of energy into keeping up with the updates, replies and comments. But, if the end result is more exposure for their company and greater sales of their items, then the effort is surely worth it.
Nikki Pilkington is an internet and social media marketing expert and founder of Nikkipilkington.com. Her company is renowned across Europe for its team of innovative and experienced team.
