So, you want to know how to use Instagram to get sales? One way to do it is to focus on lead generation. Lead generation is the intake of both qualified and unqualified leads into the sales funnel. A sales funnel is a tool sales managers and marketers use to determine who their most viable customers are. One constant in all sales strategies is that success starts with a lot of leads at the top of the funnel and a lot of grit.
When small businesses are concerned, often we are our own sales managers and marketers, and that means working within our means. But I got you. If you’re looking for content on how to use Instagram to create solid leads for your funnel, you’re in the right place.
What is a sales funnel?
The term sales funnel refers to a visualization of data for sorting leads. Leads are any potential client who shows interest or inquiries about your business, products or services, either tacit or overtly. The lower the lead goes into the sale funnel, the closer they are to becoming a customer. New Instagram followers would be top of funnel leads because you don’t immediately know enough about them to qualify them to move lower in the funnel. These are called unqualified leads. Some of them may be potential customers and others are likely just around for self-promotion. But even people who follow you to promote themselves could become customers if you play your cards right.
How to use Instagram to fill your sales funnel
And just how do you do that? As a photographer, I know Instagram. As a marketer, I’m here learning with you, just tryig to share what I’ve learned. So without further adieu, here are my trade secrets to using Instagram to fill your sales funnel:
Use Facebook ads to determine your target market
If you have a Facebook business account and an email list of existing clients or leads, you can use the free tools by Facebook to analyze your existing audience and hone your strategy toward people who are most likely to be interested in your brand.
By uploading the names and email addresses of existing customers and leads into Facebook ads, you can get insights from Facebook where emails crossover with existing accounts and determine the best look-alike audiences to target.
To do this, go to http://business.facebook.com, select Ads Manager and follow the prompts to upload a list. By targeting your content to people most likely to enjoy it you are increasing your chance of getting new follows who can convert into qualified or unqualified leads based on your engagement strategy.
Make the most of small spaces
With your target audience defined, you can begin to tailor your Instagram presence to your most-likely customers. Within your entire Instagram UI experience, there is only one place where you can place a working link. That’s in the Bio. Businesses can make the most of this space by signing up for a free Linktree account, and connecting their followers to multiple links via one easy click.
Using Link Tree or your own website, you can send users to a page of multiple links including a form where they can submit their information and inquire on your products and services. Building your lead database directly from the app.
Have an aesthetic
The best Instagram accounts are just informative, they are cool. You have to increase your cool factor if you want to master Instagram marketing. Yes, we care what you are reading, so show us that latte next to that Nancy Drew book with the dark blue cover on the robin’s egg blue linen tablecloth, in a room for of blue glass sculptures. And look your latte has a heart in it, and your phone can shoot perspective.
So many opportunities for aesthetics exist on Instagram and in our daily lives. One of the great things about the platform is to be able to showcase your personality and not just your product. But a pro-tip for beautiful product photos is to buy an inexpensive lightbox on Amazon. Using a lightbox and foam rubber backdrop makes all the difference when it comes to showing a clean product.
Facebook and Instagram advertising is also a very powerful tool. However, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to start filling your sales funnel on Instagram, you just need to have a good understanding of your market and how to reach them with engaging content that appeals to your target. If you like the information you get from my blog about Instagram, check out my website to see how I can help you make your Instagram even better with photos that stand out from the rest. Let’s chat about it over coffee, reach out today.