One of the most frequent questions distributors ask about social media is what to post. Most tend to have product-centric posts, because with so many resources available to them, it’s a lot easier to find ready-to-go graphics.
While there is nothing wrong with that approach per se—after all, you sell products—social media is an invaluable tool to show what else you bring to the table. Your social media pages provide you with an opportunity to build your brand, show your business personality, your creativity and professionalism.
You also have to keep in mind that the purpose of your social media pages, besides developing brand awareness, is to build relationships with your clients and prospects. So you don’t want to be seen as just another product (commodity) seller.
The most engaging pages publish a mix of content that educates, entertains or adds value to their audience in some way. Coming up with posts is not as complicated as it may seem.
Think of posting as starting a casual conversation with a potential client. Therefore, your conversation needs to be of interest to them. To accomplish that, you need to know your audience very well, including their needs, their interests and frustrations.
Here are 20 ideas you can easily implement. Set some time each week to plan your posts, then post all at once using the schedule feature on Facebook, and be done for the week.
20 Post Ideas For Promo Distributors
1. Your Blog Content
This is the most important type of post because it will drive traffic to your website. Make a list of snippets of each blog post on an Excel sheet and include the link. This way you’ll have your posts ready to copy- paste at different times. Use different images every time to draw new interest.
2. Inspirational Quotes
There are websites that list inspirational quotes of all sorts. A quick Google search will present you many options. Create an image with the quote using a photo background using a tool like Canva, or use the one the website provides, usually for free.
3. Pro Tips
Share tips from an industry expert (you). You can post these weekly on the same day, and call it “Wednesday Swag Tips,” for example. Use your photo and add a speech bubble with the tip. Or, better yet, make it a short video.
4. Everyday Life Relatable Posts
Posts about how your day is going. For example, TGIF, a comment about the weather, the traffic, your coffee and so on.
5. Current Events
Post comments about what’s going on in your community, last night’s sports game, your target audience industry news, etc
6. National Holidays
This is a natural fit for the promo business. Not only major holidays, but also other celebratory dates. There are plenty to choose from, and you can use them in many ways. You can create monthly or weekly themes and tie into promo items, or just post “Happy XYZ day.” These posts will add interest and fun to your page. Find a full list in this website.
7. #ThrowbackThursday
These are posts about the past: “Remember when….” It could be about your company, your community, a TV show or anything else. For some reason, Thursdays have become the day to post those. Join the trend and use the hashtag.
8. Feature Your Staff
Welcome a new hire or an intern. Praise a staff member, congratulate them on their personal achievements, birthdays, weddings, or birth of a child. Celebrate their anniversary at your company.
9. Month Celebrations
Welcome a new month, listing its celebrations or reference them throughout the month. These are very relatable and refreshing, and you can use them in many ways.
10. Personal Events
Share personal events you attended, trainings, trade shows, etc., especially if you are the face of your company.
11. Funny Stuff
Making people smile is a good thing. Share a funny cartoon or a video of a pet. Who said cats don’t belong on your business page? Just be sure to add context. Or not. Like this photo of my cat chilling on the windowsill.
12. Your Workplace
Sneak peek of your new self-promo package. An anecdote from behind the scenes. Someone came to visit your office. You are cleaning up the sample room, painting the office, etc.
13. Industry Facts and News
Look for those your audience can consider “good to know.” For example, Chinese holidays, new regulations, product recalls, new decoration methods, supply chain delays, etc.
14. Community News and Events
Be a good neighbor. Share information promoting local fairs, festivals, fundraisers, concerts, etc. Congratulate a new business opening in your area, even if they’re not your client. Recommend a local business.
15. Wish Happy Holidays
As mentioned, holidays make good posts, but the major holidays deserve special posts. You can show photos of you or your staff wishing happy holidays.
16. Feature Your Work
Post photos of your work. Showcase what you do. Ask your supplier to send you an extra item, share photos your client posts on their social media, because, yes, they will post photos wearing your hats and shirts, or showing the new awesome tumblers you produced. Get creative. This is how your business comes to life.
17. Client Shout-Outs
Congratulate your clients on their anniversaries, milestone achievements, etc. Thank clients who post positive reviews, use a screenshot of the review as the image.
18. Special Offers
These don’t need further explanation. Make sure they link to a landing page where the offer is further explained and includes a clear call to action.
19. Product Ideas
Post items that will interest your clients even if you think the price is too high. In fact, this will show them what else is available. Remember, they always ask you what’s new. Avoid posting super cheap items. Add context whenever possible. Select unusual items to post, or unusual uses for common items. Create branded post graphics using a good resolution images that suppliers have available, add text and your website to it. That way, if it gets shared, everyone will know where it came from.
20. Keep It Positive
With so much negative stuff going around, the last thing anyone needs is another Debbie Downer. Don’t be the one always having something negative to say about everything. You know the type. Be the uplifting post that makes people smile. Positive attracts good vibes.
There you have it!
I hope these give you a few ideas to make your social media pages more fun and engaging. Yes, it will require an investment of your time, but it’s not only worth it, it is necessary. Planning is key to save time and be consistent, we have tools and resources on our website that can help, including social media tutorials, specific for distributors. And like with everything else, it can be hard at the beginning, but the more you do it the better you’ll get and the easier it’ll become.
This article was first published in Action Marketing blog. For more marketing articles, free webinars and guides specific to the promo business, visit the Resources section of ActionMarketingCo.com.
