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How to Convert Prospects Using Social Media

Social media marketing can be a very powerful lead acquisition tool. But how can you convert a lead to a prospect, and then to a client? Read this article to discover the basics.

Everything starts with having a well-built sales funnel, which will show potential customers that your company is trustworthy. Let's not forget that thousands of similar businesses compete for your potential clients, so your message needs to stand out; your unique selling proposition should be the foundation of any marketing message.

To attract interested people, start by creating and then sharing powerful lead magnets, digital products that will be given away in exchange for your visitors' email addresses. Effective lead magnets must have a high perceived value and should provide instant gratification; people who aren't looking for solutions to their pressing problems are less likely to purchase your products and services.

So, do your best to discover your potential customers' pain points. While most of your prospects have similar problems, their root causes can be remarkably diverse. So, it makes a lot of sense to discuss these matters with existing clients. Detailed online questionnaires can also be of great help, provided that you use survey incentives to increase response rates - $20 gift cards, for example. Another idea is to involve a few members of your tech support team. These guys and gals interact with prospects and customers all day long, so they will be able to provide valuable feedback.

Lower price points/higher profits, time-saving features, increased productivity and effective customer support are just a few ideas that can be used to your advantage when you are crafting powerful lead magnets. Don't forget to use social proof by including testimonials, site review badges, and more.

Additionally, each lead magnet should help prospects understand why your offer is better than your competitors'. You can use product samples as a lead magnet, for example. Alternatively, you can create a set of training videos that teach people how to gain an important skill. Other companies offer free templates (landing page templates, for example) which will help people achieve specific purposes. Coupons and discount codes are very popular, and let's not forget about free product trials. Don't give away a lot of stuff for free, though; you should use your lead magnets to separate paying customers and freeloaders.

Once that your potential prospects have subscribed to your newsletter, it's time to start a two-way conversation with them. It may sound like a time-consuming operation, but there are lots of tools that can help you save time by automating most steps of the process. Each message you are sending out should provide tremendous value, demonstrating your expertise. It is always a good idea to spy on your competitors by subscribing to their newsletters, and then examine what they are doing.

Don't ignore the power of video. Create engaging video content which shows how you can fix your prospects' pain points, and then use paid ads and retargeting campaigns to show those videos to them.

By now, people should have noticed your company's presence all over the web. It's time to up your game by providing something extremely valuable in exchange for a small amount of money. Offer a fantastic series of training videos for $7, for example. Make people engage with your company through micro-commitments; it is way easier/safer for them to pay a measly seven dollars, rather than purchase one of your expensive products or services right away. Once that they have made a purchase and everything went okay, they will be much more likely to buy from you again in the future.

These are several field-proven tips that will help you attract prospects, and then convert them into customers. Apply them and you will see positive results. Good luck!