The very nature of social media makes it fleeting. What you post today will be irrelevant tomorrow. In fact, what you post in the morning is old news after lunch. Therefore, relying on social media marketing as a primary means of reaching customers might actually be counterproductive.
Are there other ways to market designer sunglasses outside of social media? Absolutely. They aren't necessarily as easy as typing a quick post and sending it to all your social media channels, but they are potentially more rewarding in terms of driving more traffic to your site and selling more pairs of sunglasses. Below are just a few of them.
1. Reach Out to Local Media
Local media – and by that we mean TV stations, radio stations, newspapers, and other periodicals – do not relish bad news any more than the rest of us. They are always looking for opportunities to profile local business success stories. They are always looking for ‘feel-good’ stories. Contact them and ask if they would be willing to do a piece on your business.
It is best to approach this sort of thing with a story to tell. Maybe you have a rags-to-riches story. Perhaps your company is introducing a brand-new line of designer sunglasses. If your story is interesting enough, local media will pick it up.
2. Create an Email Newsletter
Believe it or not, consumers actually appreciate receiving email newsletters from their favorite brands. Your customers are not an exception. Create an email newsletter of your own. You can publish every week or every month. Don't publish every day, or you're likely to turn away customers who don't want to see so much from your brand.
Your newsletter can introduce new product lines. It can include posts about different types of sunglasses – aviators, wayfarers, cat eyes, et al. You can even use the newsletter to promote new products or the latest bargain. Whatever you do, make sure the information you send out is relevant. If it's blather, people will unsubscribe pretty quickly.
3. Sponsor Local Events
Consumers love companies that get involved in the local community. That should be your company. Get involved in local events as a sponsor or seller. Especially now, as we seek to fully reopen from coronavirus shutdowns, consumers will be especially attentive to those businesses that make the effort to get involved. This spring and summer could be a golden opportunity for direct marketing through local event sponsorship.
4. Offer a Referral Program
It has been said that word-of-mouth is the best form of advertising around. Who are we to question such astute wisdom? You can market outside of social media by offering a referral program. There are lots of ways to do it. The point system is one that immediately comes to mind.
Every time an existing customer refers a new customer who actually buys sunglasses from you, that customer earns a certain number of points. The points can later be redeemed for new sunglasses, accessories, shopping discounts, or whatever you like.
Social media is a marketing tool with known benefits. But it shouldn't be your only form of marketing. Maybe it shouldn't even be your primary marketing strategy, either. There are plenty of other ways to reach customers. Try them. And remember this: not all your customers use social media.
