We are having success attracting Facebook traffic and in-store visits to the newsagency by calling out specific cards on our Facebook page. With card sales up close to 20% year on year off a terrific base we think the Facebook marketing activity is part of the success.
This is something any newsagent can do for a tiny investment. Sure it takes a moment to choose a card or two and take photos and post on Facebook. It works.
Choose a card you like that reflects the diverse range you carry and use it to reach way outside your four walls to look for new shoppers. You cannot rely on existing traffic to drive card sales. This type of simple social media marketing is vital. Plus it is easy.
Sure this is very basic marketing, marketing chasing a small traffic gain. But it is the best type of marketing you can run success from this will be more valuable in the long term than a big bump from a single big activity that costs more in my view.
Simple small-step marketing works the best in small business retail my experience.
If you are not marketing greeting cards outside your newsagency business you are missing sales for sure.
Hi Mark,
On a side issue, since you have set up Paypal in store has it been used? What sort of percentage of customer uses this method in store or is it mainly website payment?
I have just set it up for my website and I will be promoting it over the next few weeks as it provides an easy channel for website payment.
Cheers
Slow Chris. I have seen it used far more in other retail channels. I expect it to grow as a result of the Tyro relationship.
This may work in shopping centres but no good on main street. Nothing goes outside my door.
Carol this will work in any newsagency anywhere. My post is about using social media to promote your cards on there – Facebook etc – outside your door.
Hi Carol,
I am on a strip and I use small Facebook post boosts for all sorts of promotions and they are fantastic. I do them on my towns busiest days which are Thursday and Saturday. Choosing the right card can make customers not only see your post but interact with it. I posted a Hallmark Valentines Day card with a dr zeuss quote and it had a great response because it connected with people in a way more than an ad can. I feel the only way for me to grow is to get my business out the door and in peoples faces, the days of people just going to the newsagency are over. You need to provide a reason for them to use you. If you do not have the confidence to use online tools I recommend doing a course in social media or at least getting some advice from a 10 year old!
Back to Paypal – I am hoping it will make the process of buying online from me easier and also put in the mind of the people in my target market that my newsagency is progressive.
Yeah I know many high street and rural newsagencies using Facebook with terrific success.
On Paypal, it certainly pitches you as being progressive.
Here is an example of the type of post I am taking about here: