Prescription for Printers' Social Anxiety
Maybe I’m crazy, but I feel like many printers seem to like to kick it old school. And the concept of social media is definitely NOT old school. But I keep trying to convince them they should dip their toe in the social pool—give it a try. And so I have been trying to find examples of how commercial enterprises use social media to further their businesses...Read on.
My husband and I were shopping for a new TV two nights ago at Best Buy. We selected the TV after a little exploration, proceeded to the checkout and paid. At the checkout counter there were flyers that read, “Become our Facebook fan and get a 10% discount.” I said aloud, really to no one in particular, “I’ll be their fan for 10% off!” and the cashier told me that I could save my receipt, go home and get the coupon once I had become a fan, and bring it back in for a credit. So I did.
My husband I debated whether it made sense for our local Best Buy to have its own page, and what we could stand to gain from being fans...aside from the 10% off of the TV we just bought. Really, the possibilities are endless, and the point is that the social networking phenomenon illustrates how differently we seek and find information these days.
In the past, I would rely on television, radio, a newspaper ad, direct mail piece or word of mouth from friends to learn about new album releases, store sales or other newsworthy shopping opportunities. Today, all I have to do is log on to Facebook, or follow a favorite retailer on Twitter, to get deals and information that the general public may not find out about for hours, days or weeks—if ever.
- Categories:
- Business Management - Marketing/Sales
Blogger, author, consultant, coach and all around evangelist for the graphic arts industry, Kelly sold digital printing for 15 years so she understands the challenges, frustrations and pitfalls of building a successful sales practice. Her mission is to help printers of all sizes sell more stuff. Kelly's areas of focus include sales and marketing coaching, enabling clients to find engagement strategies that work for them and mentoring the next generation of sales superstars.
Kelly graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Political Science and, among other notable accomplishments, co-founded the Windy City Rollers, a professional women's roller derby league. She is also the mother of two sets of twins under the age of ten, so she fears nothing.
