SMART Social:

Using Facebook to Build your Customer Base

My typical blogs are general in nature, meant to inform and inspire.  In today's blog, I'll describe a specific strategy aimed at building your customer base and using social media to do the work for you.  I'll provide specific examples from direct experience to show you that the strategy works, as long as you know how to work it!

Typically, I would teach business seminars on this topic at Spring Market,  but as you all know, Quilts, Inc. has opted to suspend Spring Market (as we knew it, pre-COVID).  I will be vending at H & H Americas in Chicago, and I hope to see you there.

Start With A Freebie

Everyone loves getting something for nothing, and quilters are no exception.  I design and sell REPRODUCIBLE patterns, which are perfect to provide as give-away promotions.  The key to this strategy is to force your customer to move through the shopping cart experience in order to receive the download.  If you post a PDF link directly, customers will take the download.  Some will comment a "thank you," but you will have no way to capitalize on the direct downloads.  You WANT your customer information gathered in the shopping cart.  You want them to experience the check out procedure on your website, and maybe, just maybe, they will select an add-on sale to thank you for the free pattern.

The Free Pattern Leads to a Sale

Choose a pattern that could lead to a sale.  This past Friday, Good Friday, I chose a faith-based pattern that can stand alone, but is also the anchor in a full quilt pattern series.  "Jesus, the Teacher," is the anchor pattern of my Parables pattern series.  It can be constructed as a stand-alone wall hanging, or can be incorporated into a full quilt.  When I posted the "free" pattern to thank my loyal followers, I did not indicate that the pattern was part of a full quilt.  That information did not come out until the following day.

Use a Coupon Code

The downloadable pattern PDF is available on my website for $1.99.  I provided a coupon code in my social media post that allowed the customers to receive 100% off the download.  The coupon code was time sensitive and was schedule to expire within 3 days.  (Side Tip: Time sensitive coupons are more likely to be used than those without an expiration date.)  

I relied on my knowledge of quilter behaviors, and I was not disappointed.  Within the next 24 hours, I had achieved over 220 downloads.  Each of these downloads had to go through the check-out process, allowing me the opportunity caption name, phone and email address.  Of the 220 downloads, all but 40 were new customer names to add to my email list. (keep in mind, my existing followers have had other opportunities to acquire this pattern previously) Several of these free pattern downloads included add-on sales.  

SOCIAL GOLD

When it comes to marketing, your email list is your gold mine.  Using social media to spike your gold mine is frosting on the cake!  Every new customer you add to your email list opens a door for future sales.  It is up to you to capitalize on this social gold.  If you follow up, right now, with an email, you'll be surprised at how much goodwill the free pattern generates.  

Follow Up Post and EMAIL

The day after the freebie post, I followed up with an informative post, letting followers know that "Jesus, the Teacher" is an anchor pattern with the Parables pattern series.  I made sure to include the link in the post, just in case quilters were interested in purchasing the full pattern series.  I also sent an email to my full email list, letting them know about the free pattern and also about the full pattern series.

Results Tell the Story

My email resulted in 1109 PDF downloads (over 400 shares) of the free pattern.  It also resulted in 117 Parables pattern purchases.  The soft-sell social media post resulted in 32 additional pattern downloads and 15 Parables purchases. I analyzed the 180 new email clients, and 63 of them made a purchase.  That's a 35% closing rate for the new clients that Facebook sent my way.  As I said previously, THAT is the frosting on the cake.

Not Finished Yet

The new customers that made a purchase received a special thank you email with a 20% coupon on their next purchase.  I provided a few suggestions: other Stitchin' Tree faith-based patterns, PinPals, Trader's Dice and ChainRippers.  Twenty-four hours after the thank you email has seen 4 additional sales.

Do the Math

With many sales opportunities in play, let's do the math. Initial add-on sales from free pattern download on Facebook/Instagram            $ 138 

Full pattern sales from Facebook/Instagram                  $262  

Full pattern sales from email                                           $1960 

Add-on sales following Thank You Email                           $87 

TOTAL sales from a free pattern....                                 $2447 

And THAT is SMART Social!

Wash, Rinse, Repeat

Want more frosting on your cake?

Once you've mastered the art of SMART social, you simply wash, rinse, and repeat.   Choose a different freebie and follow the same strategy three or four times a year.  The key to capitalizing on SMART Social is to set SMART goals that will lead to sales.  My goals for this campaign were to:

1) Increase email clients by 100 (goal achieved)
2) Free downloads from Facebook 500 (goal NOT achieved).  Course of action: Next time, send (2) freebie posts instead of (1).

3) Full pattern sales (combined Social and email) 100 (goal achieved)
4) Add-on sales (combined social and email) $200 (goal NOT achieved). Course of action: Next time, divide add-on sales patterns v. products and send (2) emails instead of (1).

I will continue to monitor sales for one week after the promotional coupon expired.  I'll keep careful data, and after choosing my next freebie pattern and add-on sales items, I will adjust my goals and craft my posts and emails to meet them.

The Last Word

If you write your own patterns, coming up with a freebie to offer will not be a problem.  If you are not a pattern writer, you'll want to consider which patterns you have access to that are reproducible and can lead to a sale.  I happen to know a designer that specializes in reproducible patterns.  I encourage you to take a look at all Stitchin' Tree has to offer. 

Want to dig in a little deeper? Next week's Open Coach, Tuesday, April 9, 10:00 Central Time, Zoom session will be an in depth review of SMART Social -- putting reproducible patterns to use for you.  Typically in a Schoolhouse class, I would have 25minutes to go over this topic, but in this open coach, I'll be able to cover a lot of details and answer more questions in the hour we have together.  

There is NO cost to participate in this Open Coach, but you must register in advance.  If the date/time don't work for you, no worries... All registrants will receive a link to the recorded session.

Follow on Facebook

Did you find this tip helpful? Follow Stitchin' Tree Wholesale on FB to stay up to date on social media trends and helpful hints.  

Looking to refine and grow your Facebook page?  I offer two coaching groups to assist you in extending your business model through social media.  Facebook Beginners Bootcamp for those who are new to Facebook, and Facebook Success Formula for those who are ready grow their online business with strategic posting strategies and schedules.

New groups form EVERY month.  Don't see a day/time that works for you?  Email me, and I'll work to set up a schedule that best meets your needs.

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