How to Use Pinterest to Drive Sales

Sales, please.

Your small business needs more sales to stay open. And it’s vital that your team focuses on a strategy now, rather than later.

Social media is an effective method to grab the attention of your target audience. Moreover, Pinterest lets your consumers connect visually with your products.

Learn why Pinterest is the best option for your bottom line.

 

Why Pinterest

Research shows that the average order value of sales generated by Pinterest is 10% higher than any other major social platform.

Pinterest offers your business the opportunity to showcase products. You can create multiple boards based on shopping patterns, consumer interests, or even holiday trends.

Consider this social media platform the new form of window shopping. It’s up to your team to display what’s best about your services and overall brand.

'Most people save or pin things on Pinterest in order to get ideas for future purchases, so if you are selling something online, you should have a well-established Pinterest presence. This is especially true if you sell physical items like apparel, accessories, gadgets, and the like,' states Chandru Rao, a researcher and writer at Around.io.

[bctt tweet=”The Average Order Value of Pinterest sales is 10% higher than any other major social platform.” username=”hostgator”]

Work with your team to develop a Pinterest sales strategy. Monitor prospective customers’ habits and build awareness for your brand.

It’s time to incorporate Pinterest into your small business plan.

 

Tips to Drive Sales

Beyond brand interest, Pinterest is capable of persuading customers to make purchases. Below are five tips to get you started.

 

1. Use Rich Pins

Rich pins allow small business owners to include additional information to images. These enhanced pins offer you the chance provide consumers with real-time pricing and availability.

In short, rich pins make it convenient for people to buy your items. They take the guesswork out of consumers’ product research. Rather than going to multiple websites, buyers can find product descriptions in one location.

In the rich pin below, you’ll notice the product’s price, where it is sold, and a '˜Visit’ button to learn more. In addition, you can read comments from other people about the product.

Don’t limit rich pins to your board. Add them to your product pages and blogs.

'By adding the Pin It button to your product pages, you will automatically encourage Pinterest users to pin your products. This also goes for images on your blog posts and other pages throughout your website,' writes Kristi Hines, a contributing editor for Social Media Examiner.

Embrace rich pins. Give your customers a better perspective of your services.

[bctt tweet=”Don’t limit #RichPins to your Pinterest board. Use them on your website product pages and blogs.” username=”hostgator”]

 

2. Tell A Story

Storytelling is essential in sales. Stories engage people in conversations and spark interest in new concepts.

Old sales tactics don’t work anymore. They centered around feeding consumers boring information, like features and dimensions.

Nowadays, customers want to know exactly how products will benefit them. And they want it told in a fun manner.

For instance, Lowe’s offers a Pinterest board dedicated to gardening tips. Consumers receive timely content and direct links to the home improvement store’s products.

'Be the celebrity expert in your space. Post content that makes you the expert in your space. Think in terms of providing information based on what you know and the service your business or products offers,' writes Entrepreneur contributor Grant Cardone.

It’s vital to think like a consumer. Would you want someone bombarding you with information?

The best stories take time to develop. And they leave the audience eager to learn what happens next.

So, don’t inundate your boards. Gradually tell your brand stories.

 

3. Post High-Quality Images

Pinterest thrives on visuals. So, it’s imperative to share amazing photos.

Studies reveal that images without faces get repinned more 23% more often. Therefore, avoid the human face.

[bctt tweet=”#Pinterest Tip: Images without faces get repinned more 23% more often, so avoid the human face.” username=”hostgator”]

'We think of Facebook as a network of people, and Foursquare as a network of places. Pinterest is a network of things '¦ and it seems like on a network of things, faces are actually a distraction,' says Curalate CEO Apu Gupta.

Use multiple dominant colors in your images. Stick to reds, oranges, and greens.

Stay away from landscape images. Instead, do portrait style. Vertical orientation with an aspect ratio between 2:3 and 4:5 works best.

Aim to add real backgrounds to your images. Plain white backdrops are dull. Give context with a intriguing background.

Below is a pin from Nike Women. Notice the company’s use of colors, background, and portrait style.

 

 

4. Target Relevant Audiences

Know your audience. It’s the #1 rule for small businesses.

If you fail to reach your target consumer, it’s unlikely that you’ll close the sale. Plus, you waste your team’s precious time and energy.

You need to understand your customers’ likes, dislikes, and lifestyles. This includes studying their demographics, geographics, and psychographics.

At the end of the day, your team should know when, where, why, and how your consumers make purchases.

Once you grasp your buyers’ desires, you can build useful content. Post pins that relate to your products or services.

For example, ESPN shares tailgating tips and tricks. The television network doesn’t sell food and party supplies, but their team understands how integral tailgating is to their sports consumers.

 

Create a schedule for posting pins. Consistency gives your content a normal routine that people can follow.

'The easiest thing you can do to grow your presence on Pinterest is to get into the habit of pinning consistently. While this tip may seem simple, it’s where most people fail with social media marketing,' says Brian Lang, founder of Small Business Ideas Blog.

Start posting relevant pins. And target the right audience.

 

5. Try Promotions & Contests

Everyone likes a good promotion or contest. It gets customers riled up to participate in something different.

For promotions, give your loyal Pinterest followers exclusive deals. Surprise them with offers they can’t find on your other social media networks.

You may offer 10% coupons, free swag bags, or attendance to a once-in-a-lifetime event. Make people curious and hype up the promotion days in advance.

For contests, learn how to earn your consumers undivided attention. Your goal is to get them to take action.

Modcloth ran an effective Pinterest contest. The online women’s clothing retailer encouraged pinners to post various pins matching specific themes. Winners received a $100 store gift card.

 

But be mindful of Pinterest’s contest rules. They have set guidelines to protect your small business and enhance the customer experience.

For instance, don’t require participants to pin a specific image. And don’t suggest that Pinterest is your sponsor.

Do something different. Engage with promotions and contests.

 

Pin Your Brand

Pinterest is changing how customers shop with your small business. The social network helps people research before they buy.

To drive sales with Pinterest, tell a story with your pins. Post high-quality photos of your products. And target relevant audiences.

Drive more sales. Pin your brand. And while you’re at it, follow HostGator’s boards!