How many retailers’ Facebook pages have you visited recently? How many did you find “worthy” of your visit? Worth your time? For some reason retailers equate “need for social marketing” to “current sale megaphone”. A complete disconnect.

Visitor expectations. Ask anyone as they are fixated on their gadget – “what are you looking at”. Funny cats aside, most answers will be “looking at…” or some variation of a product research and evaluation effort. Product information, reviews, testimonials, “network” input, how-to; the list goes on. However – “the big sale” is not on the list (yet). Let me ask you – As a consumer – how do you feel when you are in a showroom and the creeper creeps. You know. The sales person you avoid eye contact with. I bet, like most – you have made evasive tactics a honed skill. OK, now fast forward. Social Media. As a consumer – how would you feel if someone was sitting next to you in the comforts of your own home, or car, or work, or on the bus – saying “sale” “sale” ‘sale”. Retailers. Look at your social media account. How many times in the last month have you talked about the “Big Sale”? Any sale? Any promotion? Excessive? If you said “only once” I would shake your hand – if you can also tell me that it is not your only post for the month….

Content is king. Useful, thought provoking content. We’re in a DYO/”flip-it” world. Ever stop to count how many renovation shows are on Netflix and cable and satellite? Retailers do you think your social visitors want the “big sale” all the time? Some of the time? Probably not. Here are a couple ideas to help you get on track.

Before and after’s. If well written and WITH IMAGES – Winner winner chicken dinner!! Most home furnishings retailers have very talented staff that have a library of this. Those before and after projects that your design team facilitated – with your products!! Time to get it “on paper”. Figure out a way to incentivize for great content! A stellar piece (with images) is worth its weight in “social gold”. Start with your designers! Help them help you.

Frequency is key. Find a cadence of distribution for this newly struck social gold. Don’t sprint. Think marathon. Your visitors (readership) will want a great piece each “x”. You insert the frequency (“x”). Now own it. I see too many dealers sprint then fade (or quit). I suggest once a week to start. Build the library of content. Then increase the frequency. Don’t run out! Your readers will not come back. Think about a conversation with a good friend. What if right in the middle of a story – they turned and walked away. You start a social release cadence and stop – it is the same thing.

And finally, the big sale. Yes, it is OK to talk about the big sales event within your social media efforts. But it better be a small sample of your total content library. Also, extra points if your “Sale” also has a social impact. Meaning “Big Mattress event. $5 from every purchase goes to the “insert worthy charity”.

Social is part of the growing digital must for retail. It is a must and must be done right. Remember, social is an opportunity for an engaging conversation. It is your responsibility (and opportunity) to make it that!

Retail on!

Jesse