Do you think it’s good to only sell gift baskets online? That may not be a good plan. Here’s why selling on social media may backfire.
An unexpected glitch
My mentor revealed to me (and others in the mentorship group) an alternative marketing method that each of us in the group happily accepted.
That method convinced me to follow certain types of people on Twitter. I did my research, discovered these new sources, and began following them.
One day I followed 20 people, and the second day I followed nine. Suddenly, on the second day, I was unable to access my Twitter account. Why did that happen? I learned, through my social media management program, that Twitter locked my account.
I haven’t read Twitter’s terms of service but realize it states that you cannot follow a certain number of people in a given time frame. My account was unlocked after I followed Twitter’s instructions.
Thankfully, this situation wasn’t an annoyance. I don’t depend solely on social media for marketing, and this temporary Twitter lockdown proves that I made a good decision.
The definitive guide on marketing gift baskets is the focus of another article, one that I recommend you read for deep understanding and guidance.
You have options
Do you focus solely on social media for sales, or are your marketing methods diversified? Hopefully, for you, the latter is true.
There are lots of ways online to market, and you probably reach out through them:
- YouTube
There are also lots of ways offline to market, which are revealed in the book, Marketing Strategies for the Home-Based Business, including:
- Postcards
- Networking
- Speaking
- Donations
- Collaborations
If the Internet suddenly disappeared, whether temporarily or permanently, and your only way to make money was through online means, what would be your first step?
- Stomp your feet in anger
- Hope it comes back soon
- Eat ice cream all day
- Waste time talking about it
- Join a local protest march
You can do any and all of that. However, your bills will continue to arrive while you receive no income because you chose to depend on an infrastructure you don’t control.
Check your strategy
Do yourself and your clients a big favor.
- Review each of your marketing methods
- Research what’s effective and what is not
- Determine which methods clients prefer versus what you prefer
- Consider adding at least two offline marketing options
You may be thinking about your budget and how much less it costs to reach people online. Look at your statistics and sales, and think again.
Online not only costs time but also money. You pay an Internet source every month, and the time you spend online is far from cheap even if you access the Internet while working for someone else.
If Twitter had discontinued my account, I still have plenty of offline opportunities to reach my customers. Do you?
