12 minute read
Stores Succeeding Socially
by Tina Manzer
Everything about parent/teacher stores is meant to be experienced in person – from the way customers are nurtured through purchasing decisions to the excitement-inducing sound of boardgame pieces hitting a table. Business is often conducted via demos, conversations, and other personal interactions. Reinforcing those live positive vibes through Facebook, customer emails, or an ecommerce site was a luxury …until it became a necessity. When the pandemic took brick-and-mortar’s superpower away, storeowners had to figure out how to present the in-store experience virtually. Posting on social media was one way to do that.
Reaching the Right Demographic
More than 4.48 billion people worldwide are active social-media participants, according to SEO expert Brian Dean at Backlinko. It means that more than 56 percent of the Earth’s population regularly checks in on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, and a host of other info-sharing channels. Based on those numbers alone, it’s clear that a post on social media has the potential to reach a lot of people at one time.
And for stores whose customers include new parents, experienced teachers, and grandparents, it’s interesting to note that not all social media users are “young.” Yes, GenZers and Millennials are the most active social media users, but 73 percent of people ages 30 to 49 are also on social media, along with 45 percent of people 65 and older, says Dean.
Older teachers use social media, reveals MDR, a data and marketing
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company that regularly polls teachers about their social media preferences. Based on a 2019 survey, MDR revealed that veteran teachers may use social media more heavily than those who are new to the profession. Nearly 60 percent of teachers who say they use social media have been teaching longer than 11 years, and 42 percent have been teaching 16 years or more.
Classroom teachers have always loved social media. They use it for a variety of reasons: to be inspired by new teaching ideas, to find resources, stay on top of trends and news, connect with other educators, and discover teacher discounts and dealers. Pinterest, for instance, became an instant hit with classroom educators. They use it to find and share favorite teaching hacks, classroom setup ideas, décor inspiration, and activity tips. Last year, 68 percent of teachers who responded to an MDR survey said Pinterest is their number-one channel for professional purposes (but Facebook is the channel 62 percent of them use daily).
Another thing about teachers – they don’t wait around for retailers and vendors
The Sprout Social Index shows what actions consumers take when they follow brands on social media
Visit the brand’s website or app 91%
Buy from that brand 90%
Choose that brand over a competitor 86%
Visit the brand’s physical retail store 86%
Buy from that brand more often 85%
to dazzle them with ideas. They’re constantly searching the web and social for the products, services, content and resources they need to do their jobs. That’s why it’s important for independent teacher stores to grow their brand online. It makes it easier for teachers to find them.
Independent retailers who always have too much to do and not enough time or staff to do it are justified in wondering whether or not social media is worth the time and effort. If they measured it strictly from a click-to-purchase viewpoint, the numbers would clearly indicate it is not. Only 1.5 percent of retailers’ last-click e-commerce transactions come via social media, says marketing platform V12. But their experts caution that dismissing it on that basis alone would be a mistake. “With industry research indicating that customer experiences will soon overtake price as the deciding factor for consumers choosing brands to do business with, retailers must get on board and establish a strong social-media presence,” recommends the V12 team.
Sprout Social, a social media management tool, helps businesses find new customers and grow their social media presence.
Recommend that brand to friends 83%
Leave a review for that brand 79%
Read that brand’s blog or site content 76%
Engage with that brand on social 73%
Reach out for customer service/support 76%
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Staff Videos Keep KB Top-of-Mind
Who: Ginger Hazel, Storeowner Where: Knowledge Bound educational supply store in Windsor, Colorado
On what platforms do you actively post? Mostly Facebook and Instagram. I think they meet my two biggest groups of customers where they are. Grandparents and professionals age 40 and up seem to be more active on Facebook while younger customers use Instagram more.
Why do you post? For a lot of reasons, but mostly to stay top-of-mind among customers and potential customers. If they see one of our posts they may remember they have a birthday present to buy or that it’s time to change their classroom décor, and head here. We reach out to customers in a lot of different ways, including targeted emails. Retailers who don’t regularly reach out don’t stand a chance, I feel.
How often do you post – do you have a schedule? We post every two to four days, based on a master schedule. We divide the year up into quarters, then months and then weeks, and we plan a theme for each timeframe. All our promotional efforts revolve around those themes so that our message – whether it’s in-store, online or in an email blast – is clear and consistent. Right now our theme is our big storewide clearance sale. Spring is the
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theme after that and then Easter specifically.
We do our planning during a threehour meeting after hours. Everyone gets paid to be there. We plug it all into Google Calendar.
Who is responsible for social media? One part-timer maintains our promotional schedule on the side. A staffer who works every day makes sure the social media posts are being made. Everyone here is allowed to post on behalf of the store, whenever. We have a store cell phone, and they can just pick it up and post. I don’t preview them before they’re posted – I know some storeowners wouldn’t dare do that! Every employee participates in our videos for social media. Even the ones who are more camera shy will contribute ideas. I am lucky to have this fun and energetic crew that I trust.
How do you know social media is worth it? Well, it’s difficult to measure. There have been cases in which we’ve included a link to purchase the product, and people have clicked on the link, but that’s rare. What we do see all the time is that people comment on a post or share it, and that’s enough. For my store and staff, coming up with the ideas and doing the videos are also fun team builders. I think there’s real value in that.
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Social Media Goes Both Ways
Unlike a store’s e-commerce site where business takes place formally, social media facilitates the natural flow of conversation between a business and its customers. It’s a two-way street. By sharing interesting and relevant stories in an informal way, a retailer can create engagement that lasts. Just as customers want to be able to know that the people they do business with are much like themselves, retailers need to understand their customers’ pain points, service and product needs, and how the business intersects with their lives.
Because it feels casual and informal by design, social media is a place where people feel free to say exactly how they feel, even if their opinion is unpopular. And that includes comments about a business’s performance. When that happens, it’s hard not to feel offended, angry and hurt. Instead of being defensive, apologize and use the feedback to your advantage, say the experts. “It’s often difficult to get honest feedback from customers,” notes an article on CMSWire, a daily newsletter focused on digital customer experience. “In that way, social media provides opportunities that other methods of feedback do not.”
Suggestions, criticisms, and negative reviews help a business owner better understand the customer experience. They also give owners a chance to respond in a positive – and public – way that assures all customers that the business is listening, that the feedback is important, and that steps for improvement are being taken.
While we’re talking about challenges, we might as well discuss this one: addressing cultural issues on social media. Thanks to the times we live in, it’s becoming more difficult for businesses to sit on the sidelines. Consumers want businesses to take a stand, and social media is where they want them to do it. Social issues are particularly important for millennials and Gen-Z customers who value culture over economics. They’ll often put their money behind the business whose values and principles match theirs.
“Consumers are smarter and more vocal than ever before,” said content strategist Trevor Kaminski. He told CMSWire that “consistency, authenticity, and interaction are key. For brands, entrepreneurs, and business owners the question becomes: can you consistently deliver high-quality content that not only speaks to your target consumer’s needs, but also to their cultural worldview?
“It is no longer enough for a brand to post product photos on their Instagram account and call it a day,” he added.
“Companies need to take an authentic stand to demonstrate to their consumers that their brand encompasses more than their product suite.”
Instagram is a No-brainer for “Visual” Customers
Who: Jamie Fox, Instagram Manager Where: San Angelo Teacher Store in Texas
On what social media platforms do you post and why? We post on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We probably started with Facebook because that was the first social media platform available. When we noticed that a lot of teachers were becoming more active on Instagram, we thought we should post there as well. Posting on Instagram is fast and easy. We just snap a picture.
How often do your posts appear? It’s very random, we have no set schedule, but I would estimate it’s at least once a week. I always post when new product comes in, so during the back-to-school season and the holiday shopping season, I’m posting all the time.
Why do you post – what is the goal? To reach out to show customers what products we have so they will come in to buy them.
Have you ever had to deal with negative comments or feedback on social? I haven’t! The feedback we receive is always supportive and positive.
Has San Angelo Teacher Store ever taken a stand on a cultural issue on social? No. We avoid politics and remain focused on what’s happening with the store.
How do you know that posting on social media is worthwhile for your store? Customers prove to us every day that they are seeing our posts on social. Many seem to be visual people, so they’ll come in with their phone and the image of the product we posted so that we can direct them where to find it. And when we promote a special deal-of-theday on social media – like 22 percent off purchases made on 2/2/22 – we only promote it on social and it always brings customers in for the sale. It’s been a great way to measure response.
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