As you’ve probably seen on social media, this week marked the launch of The Wholesale Collective, a community for small product based business owners. In the few days the community has been active I’m completely blown away by the ladies that are participating in our daily discussions. Everyone is so open and willing to share their knowledge and experiences with each other, it’s EXACTLY what we hoped would happen!
Since this is a closed group it requires administrator approval to join. As we were going through the requests we noticed one thing that some businesses were doing better than others:
They have a profile that includes the name of their business.
It may sound like a no-brainer for some, and for others, you may be wondering it even needs to be on there at all. The marketing and business side of my brain kicked into overdrive as I started to look at the similarities and differences between how each business owner presented themselves online. My conclusion? If you’re not talking about your business everywhere including in your profiles, you are probably missing out on a lot of opportunities. In today's post, I’m sharing 3 big reasons why adding this little bit of info can make all the difference to your business and its bottom line.
It’s much easier for others to learn exactly what it is that you do!
If you’re anything like me, talking about yourself can sometimes feel a bit awkward. Why not help to break the social media ice by listing your business? Even if people don’t really know you (yet!) by knowing what it is that you do will help to establish a kinship. For instance, whenever I see someone with a product based business I know that we share similar interests and probably both get just as excited by receiving samples and we both are easily inspired by amazing products. By publicly associating your name with your business you’re helping get to know the brains behind the brand which will help to enhance their overall experience with you.
Listing your business in your profile can also help drive traffic to your website. People, by nature, are curious and chances are when they meet you or see you commenting in a facebook group and you say something that resonates they’ll head over to your website. Perhaps they see something there that they love and now what started out as genuine interest turns into a sale!
It makes it easy for others to find your business online
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone mention their business name in a post or group that's peaked my interests but when I click on their profile I don’t see any reference to it so I’m stuck trying to find information via a google search. While sometimes I find the business quickly, there are many more instances where that business is really tough to find. When I can’t find the information easily and quickly, I’m going to move on. Customers want the experience of working with you to be seamless and that starts when they land on your website or online shop. If they can’t find you easily chances are, you’re losing sales!
It helps you make new friends
The quickest way to get to know another Facebook group member or Instagram follower is to click on their profile. When that profile is linked to a website, blog or online shop I can usually tell within minutes if this person and I could ultimately end up being BFF’s. Seeing something that catches my eye, whether it’s a product, blog post or great image will make me a follower, and can turn me into a reader or paying customer. I’ll make the additional effort to engage with them because I see we have similar interests. Seeing a profile that doesn’t include more than a picture and a name is, in my mind, the equivalent of standing in front of someone with your arms crossed--it’s just not as inviting!
