A client of mine recently added a second company to her direct sales business.  Since it’s completely different from her first product, we needed to focus on building interest within a new target market.  You may have not added a second company, but this process is useful any time you start looking for new ways to connect with your potential customers. Here are the steps we took to start branding her new product and meeting new people to serve…

  1. Google it:  If you were going to do a Google search for your product, service or opportunity what key words would you use to find it?  Jewelry, Organizing, Age-Fighting, Scrapbooking, Fashion, Pictures, Handbags?  Searching these words and seeing what shows up will help you uncover clues that could lead you to find people who are interested in what you have to offer.
  2. Branding:  It’s always a good idea to use your name when branding your business. That way, if you are “Mary the purse consultant” you can easily become “Mary the purse & candle consultant.”  Positioning yourself as YOU (and not just your product) opens the doors for more people to follow YOU — regardless of what you are selling.
  3. Social Media:  Once you are clear on your branding (hint: your brand is always YOU) set up a Facebook Fan Page and Twitter account.  Even if you’re still “twitchy about twitter” creating that account and letting posts from your Fan Page “feed it” allows you a gentle start on building that following.
  4. Twitter: is also a great way to find people interested in your product.  Do a Twitter search (just the way you did on Google) by adding a hash tag (this thing #) to search words in THAT search box.  You’ll find out who’s tweeting about buying, selling or using your product.
  5. The Secret Sauce: take the information you “Googled “and start posting it on your fan page, e.g. don’t just share your product, share information that is RELATED to YOU, your product AND especially your audience.  That’s the secret sauce!  If, for example, your primary product is handbags, then you may want to include posts about fashion.  If you have a bag that could be a diaper bag you could share posts about motherhood, parenting, or new baby care.  Remember, it’s not about you. Talk to your audience about their interests.  Become a friend and a resource…don’t just “sell” them

When starting out with a new company or relighting the fire in your current business, take time to do some research and applying it to your Social Media plan.  Make it easy for your customers to beat a path to your door, no matter what you sell!