A recent survey by Square found that up to 75 percent of retailers use social media to sell. Not sure where to start? The latest issue of Floral Management has several tips for getting started.
Gone are the days when Facebook and Instagram consisted primarily of family and food photos. Now, among other things, they are convenient places to shop. In fact, a survey by point-of-sale company Square found that 75 percent of retailers use social media sites to sell. Of those, 43 percent say that half or more of their revenue comes through social selling. Unsure how to start? Here a few pointers.
Keep it simple. Don’t feel compelled to list dozens of items on social media. Until you feel adept at social selling, limit your inventory to a few of your best sellers.
Feature more than one product in a post. It’s easier for customers to swipe right through a short slide show (think: three to five products) than scroll down and click on separate posts for each product.
Target your customer. Selling corsages and boutonnieres for prom? Try TikTok — that’s where teens spend their time online. Pitching arrangements as back-to-school gifts for teachers? That’s best posted in Facebook Marketplace, where parents browse.
Experiment with different formats. The “carousel” post — one with up to 10 photos users can swipe through — is perhaps the most popular way to sell products on social media. But you can also tag your stories, videos and traditional photo posts with product stickers that take customers to a checkout page.
For more details on social selling and other business-building tips, check out the Hands On column in the July/August issue of Floral Management.
Katie Vincent is a senior contributing editor for the Society of American Florists.
