How Personal Connection Can Skyrocket Your Social Selling Business

You've heard it before: the key to success is building relationships. And when it comes to social selling, personalization is the key to forging those relationships.

By getting to know your buyers on a personal level, you create trust and credibility that can skyrocket your business.

A trending way to take your personalized marketing to the next level involves the use of marketing automations. Platforms like Shout that are built for the social seller allow you to personalize content and messages automatically.

Moreover, you can use automation tools with other personalized marketing tactics like retargeting or remarketing for even more outstanding results. But, we're getting ahead of ourselves. We'll come back to the topic of personalized messaging services in a bit, but first, let's slow it down a bit and cover some personalization basics. Shall we?

In case you're new to the idea of personalizing your messaging and other content, you should understand that there are significant benefits involved.

For example, it doesn't matter what stage of business growth your company is in. You could be a one-person dynamo or already have a mid-sized business with a yearly revenue of over $27.5 million. (Yes, that's a pretty specific number, but that's the highest dollar amount in revenue you can make and still be thought of as a small business according to the federal Small Business Administration.)

The point here is that statistics show that through personalization alone, you can increase revenue. In fact, more than 80 percent of all consumers say they're more likely to buy from brands that use personalization in their marketing. That’s impossible to ignore.

Heck, there are even more benefits to be had than a mere increase in revenue. (Okay, we know some of you might say that's the most important benefit, but there are others.)

For example, personalization can:

• Produce more leads and convert more users into customers.
• Boost engagement with customers.
• Encourage shares.
• Improve Facebook relevance scores and ad costs.
• Boost brand loyalty; and
• Increase brand awareness.
  

Considering everything just mentioned, it's easy to see that you can't afford to dismiss personalization. That's especially true when you can bet your bananas that your competition will absolutely be capitalizing on every marketing tactic that can help them gain an advantage.

That's why we've put together the following guide. Below, we'll go in-depth and pull back the curtains on the power of personalization and how social sellers can utilize it in their businesses!

Advantages of personalization in Social Selling

Think about the last time you made a purchase. What was the critical factor in your choice? If you're like most people, it was likely based on some degree of personalization. Whether it was a salesperson who took the time to learn what you wanted, or an online retailer that recommended products based on past purchases, personalization makes customers feel special and appreciated.

And as we all know, feeling valued is a crucial component of customer loyalty.

In today's competitive business landscape, we think you'll agree it's more important than ever to offer personalized experiences to customers. Social selling is one way to do just that. By using messaging platforms to connect with customers one-on-one, businesses can create more meaningful and impactful relationships.
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And, there are specific advantages to personalizing your social selling activities. We touched on some above, but also consider that:

• Social selling is a valuable way to create deeper connections with customers. People are more likely to buy from someone they have built a relationship with, so the more time you spend creating relationships through social selling, the higher your sales will be.
• Personalization makes customers feel special and appreciated. And as we all know, feeling appreciated makes you like and respect the person (or brand) that's showing that appreciation right back!
• In a world where content is constantly being thrown at consumers, it can be super hard to cut through the noise and grab their attention. if you want to see better engagement and ROI from your digital marketing campaigns, consider personalization as one of your key strategies.
• Improved brand awareness: Personalized marketing is one of the most effective ways to connect with your audience. When you go to the trouble to get to know them and understand their needs, you can deliver content that's truly valuable to them. And when they see how much you care, they'll be more likely to recommend your brand to their friends and family.
  

Personalization and privacy

Before continuing on, we would be remiss if we didn't pause to provide a word of caution. Personalization has all the benefits and advantages we've already mentioned when done right. However, it can lead to dangerous breaches of social etiquette and peoples' privacy when done wrong.

It can also lead to stiff financial penalties for companies that ignore international privacy laws like Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or California's Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) that regulate the use of personal information.
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The best way to stay compliant and ensure that you're not violating your customers' privacy is to gain their consent before collecting and using personal information.
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Now more than ever social sellers need to be more careful than ever about getting personal with their customers without first asking for permission. We've got an article that goes into depth on this subject; click here to read it.

Best Ways To Create Personalized Marketing

Personalized marketing is more important than ever. In today's world where everyone is engulfed by a flood of advertising, it's more important than ever to create marketing that is tailored specifically to your target audience. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to do just that. Here are a few of the best ways to create personalized marketing that will really resonate with your customers.

Research Your Target Personas

Do you know your audience inside and out? If not, it's time to do some research. Knowing your customer is the key to delivering genuinely personalized marketing experiences that will speak to them on a deeper level and convert into sales. Thankfully, there are many ways to learn more about who they are and what makes them tick.

For example, at a bare minimum, you should learn:

• What their ages are
• Where they're from
• Where they spend their time online
• Which influencers they follow and interact with
• What devices they use
• What topics interest them
  

Once you've chosen your target market and you've done your research, it becomes much easier to create content that resonates with them and sparks a desire to buy. Keep in mind the different ways people process information. Use images, videos, and stories that appeal to their emotions and grab their attention.And always be sure to ask for feedback and engagement from your followers; this two-way communication will help you create the kind of relationships that turn customers into brand advocates!

Use Social Listening Tools

If you're not employing a social listening tool, it's time to add one to your marketing arsenal. They're essential for delivering personalized experiences on social media and they also provide valuable insights into your audience that you can use to create better content and campaigns — including those you launch on Shout.

Use Retargeting Tools

You should also consider using retargeting and remarketing tools like AdRoll or Perfect Audience. These can help you target specific customers who have already interacted with your company online or in person.

Retargeting and remarketing are important to keep in mind because they can drive repeat purchases and increase your average order value (AOV). You can use this information when creating personalized messages for customers on social media.

For example, if someone bought a pair of shoes from you last week but hasn't purchased them in a few months, you can remarket to that customer with a special offer on shoes. This type of personalization can go a long way in increasing sales and overall loyalty.

Personalized Messaging And Service

Messaging is an excellent opportunity for your brand to get personal with the audience trying to connect with you. However, chatbots are growing in popularity, and they can often feel impersonal. Most of the time, chatbots stop at using the first name of the person reaching out to you.

You should aim to go beyond this and create a more personalized experience for your customers.

For instance, Shout allows you to use conversational chatbots or craft messages yourself, one-on-one and on the fly. You can personalize drips, bots, and group messages in both cases.

In other words, you're able to create in-depth, personalized conversations with one or hundreds of customers all from one platform. We think that's pretty awesome!

Choose a CRM To Manage Consumer Conversations

A CRM can be an extremely valuable tool for managing your social messaging audience. Not only does it allow you to personalize interactions with customers, but it also helps you provide a better customer service experience.

If you're not currently using a CRM, consider giving one a try – you may be surprised by the incredible value it adds to your social media marketing efforts.

If you're looking for a CRM that can help you keep track of all kinds of important information about your contacts, Shout is a great option. With its profile pages for each contact, you can manage everything from name and phone number to birthday and mailing address.

Plus, the tone of Shout's interface is professional and straightforward, so it's easy to stay organized and up-to-date on your customer interactions.

Remember! There's no such thing as a great social selling campaign that ignores the need for an efficient CRM.

Create Personalized Content

Now more than ever, almost all businesses need to focus on creating personalized content when they're using social selling as a marketing strategy. Your customers want to feel like you're speaking directly to them, and that's not going to happen if you're just posting stock photos and corporate jargon.

By taking the time to create targeted content, you'll be able to connect with your customers on a more personal level, leading to more sales in the long run. Although it takes more effort to create personalized content, the payoff can be huge.

So get creative and start tailoring your content specifically for your target audience!

Here are some ideas we think you'll love.

• Try using customer data to create targeted content. For example, if you know that specific customers are interested in golfing, you could send out a group message about the best golf courses in your area.
• Get creative with your messages. Instead of merely sending out a message with a link to your latest blog post, try creating an image or video to accompany it.
• Try creating a quiz that takes a customer's physical or mental attributes into account and then recommends a product based on the results.
• Try segmenting your customer list into different categories, such as age groups or geographic location. Then send them targeted content that will appeal to their particular interests.
  

The options are almost limitless!

Use Personalized Videos

Although we mentioned sending a personalized video along with some of your messages, the subject of personalized videos deserves a segment of its own.

The truth is that personalized video marketing is still in its early days, but it's clear that this type of marketing can be incredibly effective. Marketers who start using personalized videos now will be able to gain a significant edge over their competition.

By personalizing your videos and making them about the user, you can create a connection with them that is much more valuable than anything else you could put on your website. They're engaging, fun, and hold real value to the people watching them.

If you're asking yourself how you can begin creating personalized videos, well, many online services can get you started.

Check out:

• Rocketium
• Clinch
• Mediawide; and
• Iris.TV
  

Additionally, here are some ideas for how you can use personalized videos once you've created them.

• Thanking your audience: You could use them to thank people for attending your event, or for making donations to your charity. Whatever the occasion, a personalized video will really make an impression and let your viewers know that you appreciate their support.
• Event Invitations: create a personal connection with potential attendees and help to increase ticket sales. And the great news is that they're not difficult to make. With the right software, you can quickly create a video that features images of your guests and incorporates their names into the invitation.
  

Keep your personalization online and offline

Coca-Cola's #ShareACoke campaign is a perfect example of how keeping your personalization both online and offline can reap benefits.

By featuring common millennial names on their bottles and encouraging people to share pictures of themselves with their Coke bottle, the campaign went viral. This personalization helped make it a wild success.

If you want to create a successful marketing campaign, think about ways that you can personalize it for your audience.

Conclusion

Can you believe that we're already well into 2022? The year has flown by, and with spring just around the corner, now is the perfect time to ramp up your social selling efforts. Personalization is arguably one of the best ways you can accomplish that.

So, what's the key to getting personalization right? It starts with understanding your customer. You need to know their likes and dislikes, what makes them tick, what matters to them. And that takes effort – more than just a quick survey or questionnaire. It means digging deep, being attentive, and always learning.

But when you do get it right, the results can be spectacular. We've seen it repeatedly in our own work here at Shout.

By delivering unique experiences tailored specifically to each individual, you can create a more meaningful connection and increase the chances that your customers and clients will do business with you.

We'd call that a victory. And remember, to the victor belong the spoils.