Get social and sell yourself

Kitchen blogger Alex Smith on how KBB businesses should be using social media to interact with potential customers in a way no other channel can provide

 

I was interested to read your series of articles online on using social media [July 11, 17, and 23 and August 23,].

We live in a world where social media matters for brands and businesses and has become the number-one way to promote your business. Social media has seen fast growth, thanks to the accessibility of platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.

Having the right branding and social media presence is key. The first thing your potential customers do is go to their phones or laptops to scope out the products and trends that they like. It’s instant, and always up to date. These platforms allow them to save, tag, pin, and store the products they like, and follow brands they are interested in and engage with them. The constant ability to interact with potential customers like this is not available through any other channel.

So how do you differentiate your showroom from all the others? Start by building a presence on social media. Having a regular schedule of posts can keep consumers interested and build loyalty. Just posting a picture of a kitchen or bathroom suite isn’t necessarily the answer. The key to it is to engage with the customer and give them something to come back for. Something to like, share, connect with and dream of.

Developing a smart social media campaign is easy, and not as expensive as you might think. With promoted posts, you don’t have to wait for users to find you. You can go directly to them with targeted posts aimed at age groups or even areas of the country. Social media channels offer an entire toolbox to experiment with, with metrics to help you understand how to create the right formula for your business.

Instagram can be a free and easy tool for attracting consumers to your showroom, providing an easy way to share promotions, or share live videos from one of your events.

I’m a big fan of seeing behind-the-scenes footage of a kitchen installation, because it allows me to imagine having my own kitchen installed, and gets the creative juices flowing. It becomes an outlet for brands to show they are more than just a showroom. All of these possibilities can give your brand a backbone, and make people want to come back to you.

There are a select few brands in the UK kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom industry that have cracked their social media content, and they now set the benchmark for how it can be done. It is one of the easiest and quickest ways to tell your story, bring in more business and improve sales from your showroom. How can anyone turn down free advertising?

There is a knock-on effect, too. Showing your allegiance to particular brands on social media can advance your credibility and attract a new audience, bringing more people through the door, especially if they also have a strong backing online. If you tie this in with simple branding, a clear description of what you do and relatable content, the sky is the limit.

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