Make Social Media Sell with Jeff Molander

How kitchen cabinet dealers & craftsmen can sell with social media (PART 2)

Jeff Molander — Mon, 07 May 2012 08:33:24 +0000

If you’re a kitchen cabinet dealer or manufacturer needing to discover how to best use social media to generate leads and sales you just landed on the right Web page. You’re about to discover how to turn an engaged kitchen cabinet shopper into a buyer using social media.

In part 1 we learned what role social media is playing in helping kitchen cabinet dealers and home improvement professionals cope with and exploit economic change, what kinds of conversations customers want to have about cabinets and kitchens and more.

Today we’re going deeper with cabinet industry expert Jim Gurulé. Blogs, YouTube videos, Facebook and more are helping cabinet dealers and manufacturers generate leads, shorten sales cycles and increase sales. Success is all about getting back to basics–not friends, followers or re-tweets. And boy is that refreshing to hear!

Here’s what you’ll discover in Part 2:

0:50 First, know your A Profile client then focus on The Story (not the product)

2:26 How and when to get people off of social media and on the path toward lead

3:43 What makes stories about successful kitchen or home renovations work?

6:12 Where do most dealers and cabinet professionals go wrong with social media?

7:25 Exactly how social media can take the work OUT of marketing cabinets

8:40 Social media isn’t all about the consumer it’s about benefits to your cabinet business!

14:20 Social media lets you fish where the fish are at

14:53 Getting back to basics with social media is key

About the Author

Jeff Molander+ is the authority on making social media sell. He's a sought-after corporate trainer to small businesses and global corporations like Brazil's Petrobras. He's an accomplished entrepreneur, having co-founded what is today the Google Affiliate Network. Jeff also serves as adjunct digital marketing faculty at Loyola University’s school of business. His new book, Off The Hook Marketing: How to Make Social Media Sell for You, is first to offer businesses a clear, practical way to create leads and sales with technology platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and blogs.

How Kitchen and Bath Dealers Are Turning Social Browsers Into Buyers

Jeff Molander — Fri, 04 May 2012 08:30:24 +0000

Time to read: 4 Minutes. How are kitchen cabinet dealers and smaller home improvement shops using social media to generate leads and sales? You’ll be surprised how they’re doing it. For a select few, Facebook, YouTube videos, blogs and other social media are helping kitchen cabinet dealers, woodworking and home improvement professionals cope with and exploit the economic slow-down.

Cabinet industry expert Jim Gurulé says social media platforms are quietly helping some cabinet dealers and manufacturers generate leads, shorten sales cycles and increase sales. So what is it that these dealers understand that most of us don’t? I sat down with Mr. Gurulé to discover how more cabinet dealers and manufacturers can apply social media in ways that move the needle.

“People don’t remodel their kitchens just so they can cook food. They do it because they want more meaning in their life… what social media allows dealers to do is create a virtual line-out-the-door and a virtual waiting room of customers that know, like and trust you.”

JM: Jim, you say that the kitchen cabinet industry—like so many—has changed from a craft to a commodity. Customers treat this craft like they’re buying a food staple, sadly. Lots of factors are coming together: abundance of suppliers, various players are entering the business from Ikea to Home Depot and everyone in between. They should not but customers now DO believe what cabinet dealers sell, in the end, is a product. Do me a favor and give me some good news!

Gurulé: “The designer that conducts the whole process is what really makes the difference. In fact that’s always been the case. We talk about all this technology and all these changes but success is about getting back to the basics. People buy from other people who they know, like and trust… Designers that are using social effectively realize the power lies in how you don’t need to appeal to a broad audience any longer. You can be very specific and craft relevant content (blogs, video, etc.) that applies to what their needs are—in context of their specific buying process.”

JM: What do you mean by that exactly?

Gurulé: “When we say ‘the conversation’ what people want is all the same. They want examples of what you do for people like them. It’s really no different than going to Costco. Ever notice all the food carts at the end of the isles? They’re sampling food. Well social media is a very powerful tool for customers to sample a dealer’s work. The samples are converted into content… and what we’re talking about here are projects, information relating to past projects. This allows customers to sample the service component which is really what they’re buying.”

JM: Ok, I’m clearer now.

So this is “the conversation” customers want to have about cabinets and kitchens? Interesting. It’s more about past projects and proving to customers that a great installation is not only possible in their lives but likely if they work with you… without really pitching them on your business. Ok, so let me go right for the jugular, Jim. What’s the secret sauce here? How do you convert a blog reader or watcher of a video or slide deck filled w/ lovely kitchen images into a buyer? What are we talking about doing here in practical terms?

Gurulé: “Ok, how does this fit into the overall business strategy. Here’s what I’ve discovered. Ultimately you have to produce a qualified lead that’s willing to pay for a dealer’s services. What social media does is allows access to buyers. Then the strategy is to take them off of the social media. Next you put them into a process. This is where we get into emotional-driven, direct response marketing routines… where they find you through relevant content via social media and you put them into a campaign. Dealers can leverage marketing automation technology to deliver more content that nurtures them along toward a sale.”

Hungry for more details? This interview, and others, can be accessed via podcast on our Listen page. Or click the link below to go directly to the interview.

How kitchen cabinet dealers & craftsmen can sell with social media

Photo credit CharlesCabinet

About the Author

How kitchen cabinet dealers & craftsmen can sell with social media

Jeff Molander — Fri, 04 May 2012 01:34:46 +0000

How are kitchen cabinet dealers and craftsmen using social media to generate leads and sales?

What role is social media playing in helping kitchen cabinet dealers, woodworking and home improvement professionals cope with and exploit economic change?

What “conversation” do customers want to have about cabinets and kitchens?

How can dealers/professionals convince engaged customers to go from consuming content on videos and blogs to requesting quotes on cabinets?

Here’s your chance to discover answers to these questions and more! Socially savvy home improvement professionals are changing it up. They’re pivoting to accommodate slower demand, higher supply and fickle customers—people who expect the design element for free!

Cabinet industry expert Jim Gurulé says blogs, YouTube videos, Facebook and more are quietly helping cabinet dealers and manufacturers generate leads, shorten sales cycles and increase sales. Behind the scenes, social platforms are playing a vital role for some dealers. So what is it that these dealers understand that most of us don’t? I sat down with Mr. Gurulé to discover how more cabinet dealers and manufacturers can apply social media in ways that move the needle.

To my surprise, Mr. Gurulé says it’s all about getting back to basics.

Here’s what you’ll discover in Part 1:

1:25 Coping with the commoditization of kitchen cabinets

3:55 Framing social media in ways to serve cabinet professionals/businesses

4:40 The power is in social media is serving the niche customer

5:15 What “conversation” do customers want about cabinets and kitchens?

6:30 How to avoid giving away the shop with customers

9:25 How do you get customers from consuming content like blogs to requesting quotes?

12:52 Why customer testimonials might not work for cabinet designers and dealer

About the Author

Why Creating Engaging Content is a Total Waste of Your Time

Jeff Molander — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 09:00:59 +0000

Time to read: 3 minutes. Maybe you’re blogging or using LinkedIn or producing YouTube videos. In any case you’re probably trying to create leads and sales by being engaging. But people actually selling goods and services using Facebook and other social media will tell you: engaging customers will not help you sell to them. What will? Get ready for a refreshing surprise.

The Truth About ‘Engaging Customers’

The truth is this: social media’s sudden arrival and instant popularity is causing most corporate marketing managers, executives and small business owners to lose perspective on the ultimate goal—making the sale. But no longer. Now you’ll know the truth and be able to take action—make social media sell for you.

As it turns out, the key to selling with social media requires proven, traditional, direct-response marketing practices be “mixed in” with engaging customers.

The Gurus are Wrong

I did the research. When writing my book I uncovered the surprising truth: Selling with social media doesn’t just happen as part of good engagement and has little to do with fluffy concepts like “positive brand sentiment” or “showing customers you have unique personality.” That ends up being bullshit designed to distract you.

Selling with social media requires ignoring the over-hyped “wisdom” of popular business gurus and returning to basic, rather un-sexy marketing principles. Good old fashioned hard work.

For instance, I discovered how direct response marketing is at the heart of successful digital marketing campaigns that sell. All of them. The practice itself is not being revolutionized; instead, it’s being applied on the Internet using innovative tools like Facebook. The core principles behind “what’s working” is what has always worked. There is no revolution, only the chance at evolution.

Design to Sell

If you want to create leads and sales, your tweets, posts, updates, blogs, videos and podcasts should always be designed to induce a response from your target. Envision yourself coming into the office each day and focusing on developing creative, fun ways that compel the person on the receiving end of your LinkedIn contribution, blog or YouTube video to take an action. Simple.

In other words, don’t ever, ever ask for a “Like” on Facebook without giving your customer a reason to. Honor them. Tempt them. “Liking” you is not compelling. “Liking” you and thereby being entered into a sweepstakes or receiving something of honest value in return (e.g., access to useful knowledge) is what they want. So give it to them.

Tempt Your Customers

When I say “design to sell” what I’m really talking about is encouraging behaviors that ultimately connect to the sales funnel. Okay, so what the heck does that mean?

The best way to think about what I’m describing is an infomercial. Consumers watch infomercials even if they’re not interested in buying what’s being hawked… and they know all along it’s a pitch. We all can’t help but watch because of how the message is designed. It’s the same with social media marketing that sells. You’ve got to attract customers then tempt them into taking an action—even if that action isn’t buying! (ie. a free give-away that generates a lead to be nurtured)

A Simple Rule to Get You Started

In simple terms, everything you do (everything you “put out there” onto social media) must do one thing every time: create behavior. That behavior must be part of a grand plan to move customers toward your product offering. Speaker and sales conversion expert Bryan Eisenberg has long touted what he calls these micro-actions as part of a courtship between buyer and seller.

“Good content marketing recognizes that we don’t have to close the sale every time we talk to a prospect,” says Doug Kessler of B2B marketing firm Velocity, who’s in agreement with Eisenberg. But this isn’t about agreement so much as it’s about getting better results by creating micro-actions.

Creating leads and sales with social media is also about having a plan beyond creating attention or engagement (occupying customers’ time). It’s about doing something meaningful with that engagement!

Good luck!

Photo credit: brandon king

About the Author

Sell on Facebook, YouTube and More:Solve Customers’ Problems

Jeff Molander — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 19:24:15 +0000

Time to watch: 2.5 minutes. The best way to sell on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, blogs and other social media platforms is simple: Solve customers’ problems in ways that earn trust and ultimately help them navigate their way toward your paid products and services. Remember: What you know about Facebook, LinkedIn or any social media platform does NOT determine your success at making sales with it. No, it’s not about how much time invest in it either. Your success is determined by **how you think about** what you know. Watch the video for more details on how to start making social media sell for you.

About the Author

Ask Jeff Molander Podcast: February 2012

Jeff Molander — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 13:33:59 +0000

This time, Jeff answers the question, “I am just beginning the process of using Social Media as a selling tool. What should be my top 3 items on a to-do list?”

About the Author

Ask Jeff Molander Podcast: January 2012

Jeff Molander — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 13:29:44 +0000

In this edition Jeff answers the questions, “how do I convert facebook fans to customers?” from Elizabeth and “how are B2B salespeople using social media to improve sales performance?” from Roberta.

About the Author

How Pharmacies & Drug Stores Can Convert Facebook Fans to Customers

Jeff Molander — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:16:10 +0000

Time to read: 2.5 minutes. Some of today’s best pharmacies and drug stores are creating sales with Facebook, Forsquare, Twitter and other social media. But some of the biggest names, like Walgreens, continue to merely hand out coupons. Sure, discounts ring the cash register but broadcasting coupons and circulars over social platforms is not very effective. Pioneering retail stores are communicating directly with individual customers—identifying specific itches and suggesting ways to alleviate them with products and services relevant to that customers’ problem. THAT is social media at its best.

A quick examination of how Walgreens uses Facebook and Twitter reveals limited successes as compared to smaller pharmacies. Stores like Harris-Teeter are ringing the cash register and pleasing loyal customers more often by solving their problems, not merely handing them a coupon.

Walgreens: Coupons, Contests & Time-Wasters

Like most businesses using Facebook and Twitter Walgreens is primarily using them to hand out coupons and discounts. The pharmacy recently partnered with LocalResponse to hand coupons for Halls cough drops to customers “checking in” on Foursquare via an automated Twitter reply. No, customers weren’t asking to be interacted with and, no, customers didn’t indicate they had a cold. But Walgreens figures it’s season so why not try handing them a coupon. Fair enough.

A study of the Walgreens Facebook page shows a myriad of contests, give-aways, coupons. And the ever-popular irrelevant “pizza or wings?” and “who likes beautiful weather?” conversation-starters that social media gurus tell us shows everyone Walgreens “has a human side.”

Harris Teeter: Relevant Answers to Real-Time Problems

East-coast based Harris Teeter actually pays customers with cold, hard cash to post their diet, health, wellness or fitness questions on their Facebook page. Customers are rewarded with gift cards for aiming questions at each store’s registered dietician. The 250-store chain’s pharmacies also have small grocery stores attached to them.

Why would a pharmacy reward customers to ask questions? Simply put, because this is a chance to understand what problem the customer needs solved, at that very moment. By answering questions related to, say, a mom’s battle with “picky eater’s syndrome” or a young man’s struggle with celiac disease a store can understand where customers need guidance in their lives—so the store can be the guide.

Harris Teeter is using this strategy to effectively guide more customers, more often, toward relevant products and services that they really do need. Yes, they also have contests on Facebook and push coupons out on Twitter but contrast this problem solving approach with Walgreens. Walgreens does not cater to individual customers’ needs; rather, it guesses at them (at best) and automates coupon distribution.

Harris Teeter: Truly Engaging Before it Was Fashionable

If you think about it, Harris Teeter’s in-store dietician represents a commitment before social media ever showed up. This pharmacy is investing real money in being “social” in its stores by solving customers problems through qualified healthcare practitioners. Extending this practice to Facebook makes good sense and can streamline the store’s ability to answer questions, solve problems and thus ring the cash register faster—WITHOUT DISCOUNTING!

Walgreens should consider a more savvy, customer-centric approach to social media strategies on Facebook and Twitter. Why wouldn’t they?

Photo credit: aussiegall

About the Author

How Auto Dealers Can Convert Facebook Fans to Sales in 3 Steps

Jeff Molander — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:56:29 +0000

Time to read: 3 minutes. How can an auto dealer struggling to turn Facebook fans into buyers get the job done? As a researcher and professional speaker on the subject I can tell you the task is easier than you think. Dealerships generating more leads and selling more vehicles with social media are giving customers reasons to offer more than a “like.” Successful dealers are quietly selling vehicles using a process. First, they are finding what’s getting in the way of a sale, what’s bothering, concerning or “itching” customers. Then they’re using social media to scratch those itches—removing purchase obstacles using traditional ideas like creative financing options. Here’s how you can do the same in 3 simple steps.

Step 1: Get Back to Basics

You’ve probably heard that posting on Facebook a certain number of times, on certain subjects, on certain days is the key that unlocks sales with Facebook. But it’s simply not true. The real secret for automotive dealers is getting back to basics. This means focusing on solving customers’ problems.

What I’m getting at is simple: use social media to help customers understand their problems more clearly, in ways that equip them to discover your answers—your vehicles and financing options.

For instance, why do vacation time share marketers pay prospective customers to attend workshops—sending them on all expenses paid vacations to exotic locations? Yes, to listen to customers and gather up objections. But also to help potential buyers get a better, clearer understanding of what they really want when they go on vacation. But those workshops are also designed to let customers feel in control and make decisions about products they want to buy—in a non-threatening yet controlled, “transparent” environment. (customers know this is a sales pitch!)

The opportunity with social media is no different but you’ve got to get back to basics.

Step 2: Create Leads with Engagement

Most dealers are listening to customers using social media. But what you listen for and how you respond makes the difference. Today’s most successful dealerships are using Facebook to discover customers’ hidden desires, itches that need scratching… then moving prospects toward the sale by scratching those itches. How? In ways that encourage them to ask questions about vehicles and share answers with decision influencers in their network.

Social media engagement can help you nurture the sale faster, more effectively—if you plan it to.

Most social media strategies are merely occupying customers time rather than courting them for business. Friends, fans and followers must become a lead if they’re to ultimately book a date. Your challenge is to help customers discover and express deep desires and serious roadblocks—the real decision points. Not to get re-tweeted or be engaging.

Step 3: Provoke Response with ‘Ethical Bribes’

Making the leap from “purposeful conversation” to business lead is as simple as making sure you provoke responses from customers. Social media is inherently able to showcase or re-create the functional (material) and emotional end benefits of your vehicle in a powerful, cost effective way.

For instance, let’s say you need to generate inbound inquiries on a sports or luxury vehicle. You need to provoke responses from prospects where they call, email or show up at your showroom. The key is engaging customers in ways that bring them closer to experiencing a “desirable unknown.” To do this, simply dramatize the emotional end benefit and get them to share their purchase intent with a call to action.

Successful dealers are “ethically bribing” prospects with promotions and that’s still a reliable, effective trick. Yet others are using video scratch customers itches in ways that trigger responses to toll-free numbers and Web sites.

Case in point Ryan Safady operates the country’s largest luxury vehicle rental company, Imagine Lifestyles. Notice how he sells the emotional end benefit in a way you can almost feel. This video lets viewers ride along with an “average Joe” customer named Eric as he learns how to drive a Lamborghini for the first time. Notice how you can feel Eric’s excitement and honest nervousness as he begins his experience. You feel for him, can almost sense what’s coming next for him.

The ‘Secret Sauce’

Ryan’s videos are designed to

Plant a seed (you can experience this too)
Dramatize, “make real” the emotional end benefit of a service that sells nothing but new ways to experience positive emotions
Generate a response (a sign-up for the Imagine Lifestyles blog in this case)

What is your social media marketing designed to do?

Photo credit: Ben McLeod

About the Author

How Hotels, Conventions & Resorts CanConvert Facebook Fans to Bookings

Jeff Molander — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 00:45:25 +0000

Time to read: 3 minutes. If your hotel, resort, convention and visitors’ bureau or hospitality-related business is struggling to turn Facebook fans into booked rooms or events you’re not alone. But getting it done is easier than you think. After a year of interviewing hospitality businesses successfully selling with social media I found their secret: Giving customers a reason to offer more than a “like.” The trick is using Facebook to discover customers’ hidden desires. Because once you’ve found customers’ itches, scratching them in ways that occasionally connect with products and services is a snap.

Step 1: Get Back to Basics

You’ve probably heard that posting a certain number of times, on certain subjects, on certain days or getting re-tweeted is the key that unlocks sales with Facebook. But it’s simply not true. The real secret is getting back to basics. This means helping customers get in better touch with desires and needs they may not realize they have—yet.

Sure, you’ve got to listen to customers using social media. But what you listen for and how you respond makes the difference. For instance, why do time share marketers pay prospective customers to attend workshops? Because helping people get a better, clearer understanding of what they really want when they go on vacation goals is powerful. And that’s what those workshops do.

Literally putting prospects on a vacation puts buyers’ minds in a place that lets them realize and express true desire. They allow you to respond, ultimately qualifying them as leads. Social media works the same way if you let it; if you just get back to basics.

Step 2: Create Leads with Engagement

Most social media strategies are merely occupying customers time rather than courting them for business. Friends, fans and followers must become a lead if they’re to ultimately book a date. Your challenge is to help customers discover and express deep desires—the real decision points. Not to get re-tweeted or be engaging.

Helping your customers discover their deepest, motivational desires gives everyone a chance to share information (engage) in ways that lets customers navigate toward your products and services. Everything you do on Facebook, YouTube, blogs should support this goal.

Bottom line: the only way to create leads with content is to have a engagement plan that is designed to produce it. You need a simple map where each piece of content you produce moves customers down the sales funnel. Let’s discover how to create your leads-focused “social engagement map.”

Step 3: Provoke Response with ‘Ethical Bribes’

The most important element of your map is the piece that provokes response from customers. The good news is social media is inherently able to showcase or re-create the emotional end benefits of your product in a powerful, cost effective way.

For instance, let’s say you need to generate inbound inquiries for your travel product or hospitality service. You need to provoke responses from prospects where they call, email, show up at a retail location or sign-up (for a contest). The key is engaging customers in ways where they get closer to experiencing a “desirable unknown.” To do this, simply dramatize the emotional end benefit and get them to share their purchase intent with a call to action.

Many hotels, tour operators, rental groups and resorts are “ethically bribing” members with promotions and that’s still a reliable, effective trick. Yet others are using video scratch customers itches in ways that trigger responses to toll-free numbers and Web sites.

Case in point Ryan Safady operates the country’s largest luxury rental company, Imagine Lifestyles. Notice how he sells the emotional end benefit in a way you can almost feel. This video lets viewers ride along with an “average Joe” customer named Eric as he learns how to drive a Lamborghini for the first time. Notice how you can feel Eric’s excitement and honest nervousness as he begins his experience. You feel for him, can almost sense what’s coming next for him.

The ‘Secret Sauce’

Ryan’s videos are designed to

Plant a seed (you can experience this too)
Dramatize, “make real” the emotional end benefit of a service that sells nothing but new ways to experience positive emotions
Generate a response (a sign-up for the Imagine Lifestyles blog in this case)

What is your social media marketing designed to do?

Take action and ask yourself…

“What emotionally compelling stories can we be telling to attract and hook prospects over time?”
“What kinds of stories does our target market want, appreciate, enjoy, and actively share?”
“How can we integrate subtle calls to action into stories that plant seeds in minds of customers and/or provoke immediate responses?”

Photo credit: scottnj