media update’s Nakedi Phala reveals how marketers can use digital marketing to improve brand sales. 

Some brands make use of digital marketing as a swift way to increase sales, which complements its business's traditional way of doing things. Going digital is also another way to grow your consumer base, as you can come across new customers while serving your usual clients. 

The secret to a successful digital marketing strategy, however, lies in your website, which is normally used to connect audiences to other branches (like your social media pages) of your brand. It’s likely that you want your consumers to either start or end there, which is why it’s important to make sure it’s nothing less than superb

Let’s shift gears and move right into some fundamentals of digital marketing. 

Here are four tips on how to drive those sales: 

1. Write blog posts about topics that sell

When creating content as a marketer, always remember that it needs to be sales-oriented (this is the main goal of every blog you write). 

One way to do this is by hyperlinking any keywords, phrases or sentences that mention something specific about your brand. For example, let’s say a particular point in your blog discusses how certain products save a consumer time. In your blog, you can hyperlink to one of your products or services that provides consumers with this beneficial feature.

Overall, blogs can be entertaining, insightful or simply informative. They speak to most needs of consumers, which is why having a blog is a great way to increase traffic to your website. Word of advice, however: try to not be ‘dramatic’ or abuse adjectives in your content. Your writing should encourage sales but without being pushy — consumers don’t like products shoved down their throats. 

2. Use email to connect with your consumers

Now we’re getting to the securing phase; and that is to convert all those mails into insight that can be used to push sales for your brand. How, you ask? Well, you can start by segmenting your address list into separate categories of consumers.  

For example, you can have the categories ‘regular buyers’ and ‘new buyers’. Regular buyers, in this case, would be your loyal consumers who are enjoying your services or products already. The messages you share with them could be ones that ask them to pass on the good word about your brand. Meanwhile, the new buyer messages would be more or less of a sales pitch. In these messages, you would share subscription coupons and the benefits of your products or services.  

Segmenting your consumers makes life much easier, as it allows you to understand who you should send a sales message to and who you should rather leave off that list.

3. Create a solid social media strategy 

Social media is a convenient platform for all brands to consider, especially when you’re looking to up your sales. 

This is because social has endless opportunities, and depending on the platform, it can be a place where your brand is casual or formal — it all depends on your objectives. Keep in mind that one of your objectives should always be to create content that attracts audiences who can buy into your brand or the services that you offer.  

Here are some valuable points that you can take into your next social media sales strategy: 

Create a social strategy that aligns with your audience 

First, you need to do research on your current and potential consumers. Find out how they interact on social media versus traditional communication methods. This will help you craft your message in a way that synchronises with your target audience, making the conversations a walk in the park! 

Make it your main priority to monitor these conversations. As you scroll through these platforms, you might come across some problems that your audiences have when buying from your brand. This gives you a clear opportunity to resolve any issues and also share some advice so that they won't encounter any more issues, which in return earns you trust from your consumers. 

Be honest and straightforward about your services and pricing 

Just as a customer ignores a product without a price tag, they will also not even take a second glance at a social page that doesn't outright list services or prices. That is why it's important to be transparent from the word 'go'. Don't make them scavenge for your pricing. Just like in your traditional advertising efforts, use all the relevant features to detail the features of your product or service as well as the price.  

4. Redirect your strategy back to business

At the end of the day you need to make sales, which is why, after having created your digital marketing strategies, you should make sure your online payment systems are functioning properly. If they aren't, it could spell disaster for your brand. You don't want to promote your products on virtual platforms and then customers can’t buy it right there and then (people on social media love to talk and word spreads fast). 

An easy way to get ahead is to create a paywall. This will give potential buyers an exclusive preview of what you have to offer (people love feeling like VIPS). And if they like what they see, then they'll simply have to pay. There are various ways you can go about this method: You can offer a subscription or a once-off payment or month to month, it really all depends on your marketing strategy and what you want to achieve in terms of sales. 

When it comes to digital marketing, some brands are still hesitant to opt-in. Are you one of those brands? Let us know in the comments section below.

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