3 Most Common Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make With Their Video Marketing

For those of you exploring video marketing, Nina Froriep
Visual Storyteller at Clock Wise Productions talks about the 3 tops mistakes to avoid.

Can social media really produce results for a small business? A case study.

Can social media really produce results for a small business? Here’s a case study that says resoundingly, “Yes!”

A struggling cupcake store had paltry 398 followers on Facebook after three years in business. To boost fans and engagement we developed a three-prong Facebook strategy:

1. Regular postings of products (photos of yummy looking cupcakes, cookies, coffee, tea, and specials) and promotion of newly-created birthday party packages for kids.

2. Development and promotion of cupcake decorating classes. Posts generated interest thanks to photos of the irresistible final product attendees would be creating in class. After the class, we posted photos of attendees enjoying the experience.

3. Creation of a Test Kitchen concept. The owners of this business are a husband and wife team. The husband loves being in the kitchen and creating new baked delicacies. We used that passion as their brand differentiator to create the Test Kitchen. The concept was simply that twice each month the husband would go into the kitchen and create something new. They would post pictures of him in the kitchen, covered with flour or elbow deep in batter to provoke curiosity. The following day, Thursday, was Test Kitchen day. Anyone who visited the store would be given a free Test Kitchen card (10 Test Kitchen visits got you a $5 gift certificate. Emails were required to receive the card, shoring up their database) and a free sample of the new concoction. Visitors were then asked to rate the new product as a Flip (Flip your lid over it) or a Flop. The owners posted the results on Friday. They were totally honest about customer reaction – even if it wasn’t great. It was totally authentic and people loved it!

Results over the course of just 30 days:

1. They posted a coconut macaroon special that was seen by someone who ordered 8000 coconut cookies – a huge order for a store that size.

2. Follower base grew from 398 to 600 (within months it grew to 1250).

3. Engagement from fans grew as high as over 100 likes for certain posts.

4. They began booking birthday parties, posting photos and “mom” testimonials which generated even more bookings.

5. Decorating classes began filling to capacity, adding yet another revenue stream and creating a whole new loyal fan base.

Total cost: $0

10 last minute ideas to drive holiday sales!

Need some easy ideas to bring more traffic and sales to your store? Here you go!

1.  Prime your Facebook page
If you're going to start posting offers or flash sales, get page engagement up first so your future posts will get better traction. You can:
Post simple questions
Are you in the holiday spirit? Comment below

Or offer a giveaway
Comment below for a 10% off coupon

Once engagement is up, start your flash sales or other important postings.

2.  Get attention with a flash sale
Now that you’ve primed your Facebook page, hold a flash sale with offers available only to your social media followers and email subscribers.

A couple of tips:
The items you sell should be limited in quantity and available only for a limited time. This creates a sense of urgency.

You can have a flash sale for one day, or one day a week, or 7 days in row -- whatever you choose.

Promote the sale heavily ahead of time with multiple posts and emails. Remember, people are busy this time of year.

When an item is sold out, promote that as well. It reinforces the fact that quantities are limited!

You don't have to have e-commerce capabilities to have a flash sale. People can call in to reserve their purchase with a credit card and pick up in store.

Make sure the deals you offer are attention getting!

3.  Prep for weather-related issues
There's a good chance there will be some sort of weather-related problem between now and Christmas. Rain, snow and sleet can negatively impact your revenues.

Take a few minutes now to plan out a weather contingency promotion to create sales even when the weather doesn't cooperate. Here are a few ideas:

Prepare a Snow Day social media flash sale
Create the ads and emails with the deals ahead of time. Direct customers to a landing page to purchase or have them simply message you complete the purchase. Emphasize these are limited time offers customers can take advantage of while staying cozy and warm at home.

Offer video shopping
If you can make it into your store, send an email blast and post on social media that you are available to video shop and will have all purchases ready and wrapped when the weather improves.

Restaurants - promote delivery
Text, email and post to remind customers about delivery opportunities.

Don't just sit back and let the weather play havoc with your sales goals!

4. Grab and Go
With each day that passes, customers get more stressed and pressured to finish their holiday shopping.

Be sure to create a "grab and go" display of popular gifts, ready and wrapped. Offer gift baskets that are fun and unique! Add toy options that relate back to your business (i.e. toy tool kits at hardware stores). Restaurants can offer a "to go" dessert with each entree purchased.

Grab and go's are appropriate for every type of business and provide a solution for which customers will be grateful and can add substantially to revenue.

5. Sell gift cards. Every. Single. Minute.
Nearly 50 percent of gift card holders spend more than the value of the card and 75 percent of those spend 60 percent more than the value of the card! Cards don't just increase holiday sales, they bring customers back after the holiday!

Create a bonus offer on gift card sales. For example, buy $100 and get a $20 bonus card.

Offer a bonus gift card with purchase.

Train your employees to ask every single person if they’d like to purchase a gift card.

Find a way to cleverly wrap your cards so customers feel good about the purchase.

Promote, promote, promote, promote!

6. Email your VIP customers
Segment the top 20 percent of your customers and start emailing them unique messages.It doesn't necessarily need to be about discounts. Try promoting a special service or opportunity just for VIP's, perhaps a private shopping event, personal shopping or simply, "We're here to make your shopping easier!"

Let your best customers know you care about them and are there to help.

7. Hide a toy
Parents are always looking for special experiences for their kids over the holidays! You can make that happen simply by hiding small toys or gifts throughout the store. Small promotions like this insure guests will spend more time in your store and perhaps find their own treasure to purchase. Enhance the promotion by offering to donate a toy to charity for every toy found in the store. It's a simple and inexpensive way to drive traffic, create goodwill and put a smile on customers' faces!

8. There's nothing that makes people want something more than knowing others want it too!
Keep your followers updated on what's hot at your store or restaurant. Whether it's the most popular flavor of ice cream, a sweater that's flying off the shelves or a gift item that customers are raving about -- post about it.

9. Last minute employee bonus
Get your employees motivated with last minute bonus opportunities. Whether it’s $25 for exceeding gift card sales or a more substantial percentage of over-budget sales during the last week of the season, give them a little push to keep momentum up during the last days of the holiday selling season.

10. Be responsive
With more traffic in store, you’re probably focused on on-site customers and attending to their needs. But you also need to be prepared for an onslaught of inquiries from multiple platforms. Whether it be by email, Facebook messenger, Instagram DM's or through your website, customers will start contacting you 24 hours a day with questions ranging from your hours to product availability.And here's the thing -- when these digital questions are asked, customers expect an immediate (or reasonable) response time or they'll just move on.

Be sure to assign staff members to monitor these platforms continuously and offer timely - and engaging responses. For example, if you received an inquiry as to whether or not a product is in stock, don't just reply, "Yes." Ask the customer what time they'd like to pick it up! Online channels are a gold mine of potential business not to be ignored!

Wishing you a great holiday season!

Until next time remember,
You can do this!
Angel