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ARTS recently asked me: “What social media do you use?” It’s the first in a series of questions they are posing to the workshop presenters for Conference 2011, to introduce the speakers to association members. That’s an easy question to answer. But the bigger question I’d like to ponder is:
How do you, as a resaler, use the social media you spend so much time on?
So, thanks, NARTS, for the nudge to present a thought or two on using social media not only to my readers here, my TGtbT.com visitors, my email subscribers, my TGtbT.com Sharing discussion board buddies, and my Facebook and Twitters fans and followers, but to my fellow NARTS members as well. Oh look, I’ve answered NARTS already. Which social media do I use?
- My blog (you’re reading it.)
- My “static” web site, TGtbT.com (which isn’t really static…it’s just called that, because it’s not a blog. More on this soon here at Auntie Kate.)
- My broadcast, graphic emails (to see some past articles/ to join us check this out.)
- The TGtbT.com Sharing discussion board on my web site
- Me on Facebook, me on Twitter.
But what I use isn’t as important as how you can use your choices. I think some shops are under-utilizing these valuable, and mostly cost-less, opportunities.
Most resale shopkeepers use social media as if it were just FREE advertising
and thus miss out on the “social” part of social media. Here’s a great quote:
…Radio stations were the first “social media”. Call-ins, contests, and live remotes all encourage social interaction and brand loyalty. Successful networkers don’t attend an event and shove business cards and marketing messages onto every person in the room. Networking is engaging others in conversation and forging a relationship that is mutually beneficial. Connecting people in your networks brings even more value. These concepts are at the core of social media. —Read more
If you’re using your social media choices only as free advertising venues, you’re missing so many ways to benefit. You’re passing up the opportunity to engage customers and encourage them to be your advocates. You’re not using social media to influence their word-of-mouth. You’re squandering the most useful way to build your shop’s reputation and standing in in your community.
I see way too much of that “shoving business cards and marketing messages onto every person in the room” behavior in resale social media usage now, and it makes me cringe. Would you grab a real live customer by the ear and drag her willy-nilly through your shop, screaming about this piece of merchandise and that? Of course not. Such behavior is not very friendly…and even less effective. So why do it electronically?
Auntie Kate The Resale Expert 
[…] Social Media for Resale […]
Hello !! I dont know if I over use facebook and twitter too much ? Sometimes I feel too much – is annoying. Social Media has been the best for me- even better than my online store website. Facebook has become my miracle worker. I constantly update new photos of our arrivals.. I hold items for my customers new and exisiting.. and they come in and buy.
Hi PreLoved, If you are motivating buyers to come in via your FB and tweets…why would you worry that you are overusing either?
We’ve been using social media (SM) for the last two years and let warn you, the learning curve can be steep. One of the big problems is how to avoid the SM “time bandit.” It’s easy to spend hours on SM so you must set aside a specific time block EACH DAY and stick to it.
Last month we did an email survey (we have over 4,000 customer/consignors on our list) and received an incredible 58% response! One of our primary objectives was to learn more about our customers SM habits (we cater to the 35+ crowd and we are a women’s consignment store). It was interesting to learn that many of our customers actually opened a Twitter account, made 1-3 Tweets and never returned to the account! This confirmed our belief that Twitter was not the right SM for us to pursue. Yes, we have a Twitter account but results indicate it is not that useful.
Facebook is another story! A large percentage have a FB account and use it almost daily! As a result, we had a custom FB page made that includes videos, an opt-in form for our email list and of course, coupons! We set it up so they have to join our email list and them it reveals the coupon page.
FB is so hot that we don’t even promote our website any longer, we just promote our FB fanpage (www.facebook.com/StoreName).
Bottom line….forget Twitter and if you’re not using FB you’re leaving money on the table!
Thanks, Julie, for your comments, and it certainly was interesting that your current customers don’t use Twitter much. I find, too, that SO many resale, consignment, and thrift shops start them then don’t use them.
However, you may be doing your shop a disservice by focusing your on-line messages and conversations at Facebook.
Think of it this way (since your target market is 35+ female): would it be more advantageous to your shop’s health to shout across a crowded bar “Hey, we got a great X in today, come see!” (as an FB post is like) or to say to your customer, “Sit down here on my serene terrace/ patio/garden , have a nice chilled glass of wine and let’s chat” (which is what a visit to your blogged web site should be.) Now both approaches have their place… but I’d (literally) bank on the calmer, more personal touch myself. Sure, use FB… but I wouldn’t neglect my site/blog, thinking that FB takes its place.
Our experiences are the same as Julie’s. We use twitter, but it mostly contains automatic reposts of our facebook posts. We used to have a blog, but found the time overhead of a blog to be much higher than facebook. The user engagement on facebook is incredible.
This is a constant battle for me. I’ve been trying (on top of just trying to maintain my store) to utilize both facebook & twitter for so much more & have been unable to figure it out. Will be interesting to see others input.
Hello Auntie Kate!
I’m blushing that you chose to use my quote from my very first guest post ever. Thanks! 🙂 I love to talk social media, if you ever want to chat let me know.
Barb,
You just said it in a way that could not be surpassed! Everyone, if you’re in Barb’s area…stay at her facility!
Thank you! I’m writing a post on my first guest posting experience and I am going to link to your blog as well! 🙂
Would love to engage my fans more but facebook is tricky when it comes to contest and making your fans do anything, they really have strict rules..I need to read more on that because I would love to run contest and stuff on it but not really ready for that..I sign up for google alerts about resale/consigning shopping then I post little quotes and interesting videos on facebook…would love more suggestions. Thanks for your help Kate would love to meet you one day.
Hi Martha, Thanks for your comments. Here’s a thought that might help: use your FB to engage readers by sending them to your BLOG.
You can have polls, run contests, post pix of new arrivals, give a suggestion (as a vintage clothing specialist, you have SO much knowledge that your readers would love to know!) and tell THEM to send their friends over… do whatever you like, and HAVE THEIR FULL ATTENTION, on your own branded blog.