Snow Day Marketing Tips For Direct Sellers
It’s snowing! While your kids are screaming, “Yay! No School!”, you’re thinking, “Oh no, there goes my profits.” Snow can be devastating to a small business owner, especially direct sellers who host parties in people’s homes. Lack of parking and icy sidewalks can lead to days of cancellations. What’s a Million Dollar Party Girl (or Guy) to do? Find a way to shovel around the obstacles and plow your way through, of course!
3 Snow Day Marketing Ideas
1. Go Live on Facebook: Encourage your customers to stay home, put on their comfy clothes and tune in via Facebook Live to shop because (insert dramatic pause), the show must go on! Share special offers, product tips and “model” new products. Ask questions during your broadcast and include calls-to-action and prize drawings to increase sales, book parties and generate sponsoring leads. Once you’re done broadcasting, go back and edit your post to include product details and shopping links. Seriously, it’s like having your own home shopping network. Want to reach more people? Save your live video and upload it to your YouTube channel. Or, if the Hostess wants to get the gang together virtually, party using the Facebook Messenger group video chat feature. You can video chat with up to six people with 50 tuning in (but there’s no replay).
2. Make Snow Your Marketing Friend: Snow can be an obstacle, or a reason for people to buy! Have a fun snow-themed marketing campaign ready to roll at a blizzard’s notice, so all you have to do is click “Send”. Shoot an email to your customers with fun subject lines like, “Snow time for ____” or “Forecast calls for _____.” Use social media to create a buzz! Here are two ideas:
Photo Contest: Ask customers in your VIP Group to take a snow day picture featuring your product – and tag you or your biz page. Encourage everyone to think outside the box and get creative. For example, if you sell jewelry a blinged-out snowman could be pretty funny. Include your own hashtag so you can easily follow all the posts and thank your followers for sharing the love. Note: Search your hashtag first to make sure no one else is using your hashtag, or prior uses are not inappropriate. I’m speaking from experience on that one.
Snow Sale: The more snow, the bigger the sale! Discounts and offers are based on accumulations. 5” of snow = $5 off, extra $5 credit, 5% discount…you get the picture. Add up to three hashtags on Facebook (more than 3 looks spammy) and up to 30 on Instagram. Here’s some snow related hashtag suggestions: #snowsale #sale #snowing #shoponline #crazyweather #snowfall #snowy #wintersale
3. Put your smart phone to work: Guess what the best thing is about a snow day? Everyone you’ve been trying to reach is stuck home with nothing to do. You can actually use that device you’ve been taking selfies with and checking-in on Facebook to make a phone call. Your customers might even answer the phone! Take advantage of your captive audience and use the time to book parties, make customer service calls and generate new biz by inviting customers to a special event, new line preview, snow sale, etc… Seal the deal with your special snow day offer!
Ready to really rock your direct sales biz? Join my VIP Group for direct sellers and get access to 10 Webinar Replays plus 2 free gifts: What to post on your Facebook Page to book more Facebook parties and Facebook Party Tips & Tools – with the CEO and Creative Director of CinchShare. Learn more
Lynn Bardowski is an award-winning entrepreneur, Direct Sales speaker and best selling author of Success Secrets of a Million Dollar Party Girl. She speaks to global audiences about Direct Sales Success, Women’s Empowerment and Social Selling and is a resource for press, media and bloggers. Like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.
