Did you know that there are nearly 1.3 million e-commerce businesses operating in the United States today? New e-commerce businesses are popping up, growing and thriving at astronomical rates, and it may all be due to one thing - social media.
Olivia Starling, founder and CEO of successful jewelry brand Starlette Galleria, highlights how Instagram can help boost your e-commerce business in ways you may never realized:
“Instagram is beneficial to ecommerce sellers as it is an organic way of telling your brand story, engaging customers, and generating sales. You can engage your customers on a more personal level and truly build a loyal group of customers,” says Olivia.
“When my company, Starlette Galleria, started growing on social media, overnight I ended up with more followers than in my hometown. I was completely overwhelmed and had no idea what to do with the following. Looking back, there were a lot of missed opportunities and mistakes made, but I learned so many good lessons along the way. I truly believe that the right people will find you, and they will be your people. Don’t get caught up in likes, followers, or blue checkmarks. Just be true to yourself, love your audience well, work at it every day, and success will come to you.”
Here are Olivia’s top 6 Instagram tips that helped grow and scale her ecommerce business quickly:
Tip #1: Stop overthinking it
Selling on social media is actually easier than you would think. The first step is to stop overthinking it. People love to see what is real, and YOU are real. How great is that? Turn off the professional polished look and be the person your best friend sees. Yes, that crazy, care free person that you can be.
Tip #2: Show your true self on social media
In order to be yourself on social media, you will have to SHOW yourself on social media. That means to put your face on camera. Don’t worry, it’s not that scary. And if you don’t feel good about how you look, slap a filter on. Filters work 10/10 times. The truth is, people buy from people, not businesses. So make sure your audience gets to know you.
Side note:
Speaking of audiences, a number is just a number. It doesn't matter if you have 10 followers or 10 million followers, speak to your audience like you are only speaking to one person. The truth is, I have worked with influencers that have 100k followers and ones that have 5k, and sometimes the accounts with 5k get more sales than the big accounts. It’s really not about the numbers, it’s about how much you have nurtured and loved your following.
Tip #3: Honor your customers’ shares
When your audience really starts to love you, they will repost and talk about you. It’s the best feeling in the world. Make sure when that happens, you always highlight and share your customers tags. It means just as much to them to be acknowledged as it does to you for the share. Plus, it adds social proof, and who doesn’t love that?
Tip #4: Don’t let your stories die
This means that you should make sure you're always having stories going and they never turn off. People love to watch Instagram Stories as if they are a reality tv show. Tell your day with a beginning, middle, and end. Keep posting throughout the day to keep people involved. Don’t just talk about the product you are selling, share it by incorporating your daily life. Instagram is really favoring all video content right now, so keep the video content rolling.
Tip #5: Always try the next new feature Instagram comes out with
Right now, reels are hot. Instagram will reward you for trying new features, so give them a try. Remember you will get better as you go. Embrace the awkwardness, the times it feels like you are only talking to yourself, and all of the nuances of social media selling.
Tip #6: State your intention out loud
There is nothing more powerful than saying what you want to achieve out loud. Whether you tell a friend, an accountability group, or do what I do and state your big crazy goals to thousands of people on an Instagram page (@oliviaisnotaninfluencer), you are more likely to follow through when your goals, intentions, and dreams are said out loud to at least one person, but in my experience, the more the better.
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