Boosting local sales with social media can feel straight up exhausting. I feel like an old man looking at the sky yelling, “LOOK AT ME PLEASE!” Only to receive a few likes and a comment from my Grandma (you a real one Gram Gram).
A lot of business owners post and hope for the best. But here’s the truth: you don’t need to go viral, or have 10k followers. You just need to show up like you, talk to your people, and make it easy for them to reach out.
One thing I constantly heard when I used to apply for social media management jobs was “how many viral videos have you had?” and not “how much content can you come up with?” The truth is, people go viral for the most random stuff. I’ve seen a piece of toast in the shower go viral before. My TikTok feed is pretty wild sometimes.
Going viral isn’t a strategy – It’s a lottery ticket.
Most of the time, it doesn’t translate into bookings or sales. A million strangers around the country won’t help if nobody in your town don’t know you exist.
What does help? Tagging your location. Using local hashtags. Try to show up in the feeds of the people who could walk in your door, and who actually need your service.
The secret to success? Finding one person in your town who needs what you have to offer. They see your post and go, “damn, I’ve been looking for someone who does that.”
We’ve all seen the type of business who sounds like a business.
“We are your one stop shop for all oil change needs!”
“Your satisfaction is our top priority.”
Look, I’m not telling you to update everyone on your recent divorce. But try to sound just a LITTLE fun. One of the most effective forms of posting is when an executive talks to their customer base. At the end of the day, people buy from people.
Instead of “one stop shop,” try out some human sounding vocabulary. “Oil change? We’ll check your wipers and fluids before you hit the road.”
“Your satisfaction is our top priority?” How about, “Not happy? We make it right. No drama, no receipts, we trust you.” When you start talking to your target audience like they are humans, and not another line on a financial report, you make real connections.
Nobody likes to be sold to. Instead of telling someone to take an action, try asking a question related to their pain points instead.
“Buy our new grill for the summer BBQ season” turns into “Anyone else tired of grills that can’t hang with a big party? Size doesn’t matter, but it sure does for burgers 😒”
Having a genuine conversation with potential customers will get you a lot further than telling them to do something.
Try asking your followers a question that you know they can answer. Building engagement is KEY for keeping a community alive, and if you are constantly pitching to people, they aren’t going to stick around.
Does it feel good when other businesses interact with yours? Then do it for other businesses. Making connections is what the game is all about. Interacting with other posts builds those connections.
The only reason why I connected with Lost Locals Media (they do graphic design work, photography, videography, and are great people to work with) is because I commented on a video they had made. I said how dope it was, and talked about different software that they used. Now, we are good friends and refer each other when needed.
Just try to remember that their is a person behind the screen. Connect with that person!
I know how it feels to not have any leads for the month, and all you can think about is getting a sale to make ends meet. But try to remember, you aren’t begging, you are offering a service.
“Buy now! Subscribe! Sign Up!”
Relax. Breathe. People can sense desperation.
“Curious? Let’s talk. Reach out if you need a hand.”
When I worked sales, I always built a sense of urgency and tried to sell just to meet my quota. But the best sales I ever made, were made from genuine conversations, and letting them make a decision on their time. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink it.
Ads are like a megaphone for your business. If your content is awkward and robotic, the cringe gets louder.
The same goes for if you don’t have any posts. Why spend money on bringing people to a Facebook page with only the generic “come on down today?”
Try to have at least 6 posts that sound human. Make sure you have the correct service details and location down. And DONT FORGET A CALL TO ACTION.
If your viewer doen’t know what to do after seeing your ad, then your ad was just white noise.
You don’t need a huge following. You don’t need to dance on TikTok. You just need to show up consistently, stay local, and be a real human online.
Social media doesn’t have to be overwhelming—it just needs to work for you.
If you’re stuck or want a hand building out a plan that actually fits your business, I’d be happy to help.
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