Gone are the days when salespersons and hawkers went door to door selling their products.
Now the Internet is a great resource to get your goods into the right hands, but it can also be a confusing mess of options. How do you find the right people online? How can you get your products to them?
More and more small scale sales companies or even individuals are switching to the option of social media for their publicity. Whether you’re a tiny Italian ice shop, a regular seller, or a seasoned vet – these resources can help you get real results. One of social media’s greatest benefits is its ease to get brand exposure. Your products aren’t limited by having to set up a physical shop or take out ads in the local newspaper. However, with so many online vendor websites such as eBay or even Craigslist available, it can be difficult to find your customers through all the noise.
Craigslist and eBay are expansive platforms that reach a huge swathe of customers. But for individualistic sales especially for eatables, site like Foodzie or Foodoro that focus on selling goods from small food producers is a more focused way to get exposure and sell your product. A quick search can turn up other niche online vendor hubs.
Another trend on rise is use of social media by travel and transport agents. They publicise their services on Facebook and Twitter and also keep posting updates as to where their next service is, etc. For example, New York’s Rickshaw Dumpling Truck regularly tweets its location for the day with light-hearted updates and customer service. Users are also making smart use of Foursquare for their brands. One such example is Rita’s Ice in Bellmore, NY. The Italian ice shop was able to attract customers over its competitors because of its specials and offers – some of which were only accessible via Foursquare.
In this whole process there are many dangers involved as well. But branding is just as important for any other business or salesperson. Define your brand and decide how you can market it online without compromising your authenticity. With a little bit of forethought and tenacity, you can use social media to sell your goods with real results!!
