Author: Kim Walsh-Phillips / Source: Entrepreneur Instagram? For Business? Seriously? That was my thought as I embarked on a journey to i
Instagram? For Business? Seriously?
That was my thought as I embarked on a journey to investigate if it was truly possible to leverage the ever-growing social media platform into a measurable source for ROI. I had agreed to author Ultimate Guide to Instagram for Business, so I certainly hoped it was. But frankly, I wasn’t too sure.
The first problem I saw was that Instagram only allows one clickable link in your account — within your bio. This means your individual posts won’t have links, which forces you to create content that not only connects with users but also gets your prospects to follow your account.
I found that for most business users, focusing on that content and messaging — and how it connects back to growing your business — can be confusing. Sadly, most businesses get it wrong, falling into one of two categories:
1. The Spammy McSpammerson.
Unfortunately, many businesses begin their relationships with prospects either by asking to get married on the first date — yuck! — or they come on like used-car salesmen hawking goods from “hello.” They make all their posts about their products, programs or services and never about what their prospect really cares about — themselves.
2. Too chicken to make a move.
Some companies do the complete opposite and never connect their content with anything that converts a follower into a buyer. They post and post and post forever but do nothing to earn their ROI from their Instagram follower base. This is like dating the love of your life who you long to marry, but never popping the question. Not only will you two not get married, but most likely when someone comes along with more serious intentions, your twosome will become a onesome.
Without a clear path to transact business or an explanation of why someone should do business with you, you won’t earn sales. Your followers, instead, will move one to someone or something else that meets their needs, or they will do nothing at all.
What your prospect really wants.
The truth is, whether you realize it or not, you have a purpose. You have a mission. It is your duty to find those who need you so you can heal their pain. You have a moral obligation to do so. When this is done well, the process can seamlessly create lifelong client relationships (instead of one-time, love-em-and-leave-em interactions). Creating these relationships doesn’t have to be complicated, especially with Instagram: start with value, build trust, then ask for the…
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