In 2022, all social networks are experiencing turbulence. Facebook*, Instagram* are recognized as extremist in Russia and blocked. The ability to use targeted advertising on these sites is disabled.
A wave of people who want to get new traffic has poured into VK. But before new users had time to get used to it, the social network launched changes and began to rebuild the work, which is still ongoing. Russian YouTube accounts have problems with monetization. Russians cannot upload new videos on Tik Tok. Odnoklassniki and TenChat, which appeared this year, are developing, but in terms of sales they do not really strengthen the experts.
Despite all these problems, social networks have been and remain an effective platform for promoting products, including informational ones. Experts in various fields create information products to monetize knowledge, and some in this way stimulate sales of their goods and services.
Anastasia Lyubarskaya , marketing expert, business mentor, and sales consultant, will tell you how to adapt to new realities, what to give up, and what to add to your work in order to not only stay afloat, but also earn a stable income.
Starting point – analysis of the target audience
Until February 2022, experts understood the needs and concerns of their target audience. They knew how to help customers, close their “pains”, grab attention and make an offer to buy. But global events have changed the moods, thoughts and desires of social media users. Everything we knew about our audience can be forgotten today. And in order to understand in which direction to move and how to sell on social networks, you need to start with a new analysis of the target audience.
For research, I recommend conducting at least ten, and ideally up to 50 interviews. It is better to communicate in person – by phone or start a video chat. Through questionnaires or polls in stories, it will be difficult to feel the mood of the audience, understand what to offer and how to sell.
With the help of the interview you need to find out:
- what worries your target audience the most now;
- how they see the solution to their problem;
- in what format they prefer the product/service;
- how much they are willing to pay for solving the problem with your help;
- what support is needed, etc.
Once you have this information, it will be easier for you to adapt and apply current trends. Let’s focus on the most relevant:
Trend 1: short planning horizon
A year ago, sales in social networks were based on the fact that there are no instant results, you need to act gradually and consistently, implement deployed systems. Therefore, people bought products that helped them achieve results in the long run. For example, in the online education market, courses were sold for SMM specialists with a duration of 2–3 months. By the end of the training, a person began to look for the first clients, and within six months / a year he reached a systemic income.
Now it is not clear what will happen tomorrow, so such proposals do not work. The planning horizon has been reduced to 1 month. People want fast results. They aim to go through the entire program in a month and get the first feedback within this period, or even earlier.
Accordingly, the structure of services and information products themselves is changing. Instead of the previous chain “teach – implement – systematize – you get the result”, modules that are responsible for the result are transferred to the beginning of any training. In 10-14 days, a person should feel something measurable and concrete – the first money, an improvement in living standards, a new position, etc.
It is important to convey this to the audience and broadcast it in selling offers.
Trend 2: sales for high bills
Quick results are possible if the expert is deeply involved in each person’s training. But this is not possible within the course. People want quick results and solutions for their projects, so they are not ready to consume information designed for the masses – they are ready to pay for individual work. Yes, there have always been tariffs with personal accompaniment, but only a few bought them. Now the demand for individual mentoring has grown significantly, and this must be taken into account.
The second trend follows from “quickly, qualitatively, individually” – sales for high bills. If an expert has results and cases, then it is easier for him to sell himself dearly. This is confirmed by the situation in the online education market: if a year or two ago a course from an expert cost an average of 40–60 thousand rubles, now a check for mentoring is 150–300 thousand rubles. surprises no one. There are enough premium programs on the market from 0.5 million to 1–1.5 million rubles, and this is acceptable for those who want to make a breakthrough.
The trend for high checks will continue to gain momentum. Clients understood how effectively the bundle works: individual work with the selection of tools for a specific project and person + quick results. And they are ready to pay for it. And if the Expert Advisor did not have VIP-tariffs before, now they must be included.
Trend 3: fast warm-ups
The planning horizon has shrunk, people make decisions faster. Previously, warm-up techniques involved at least 18-20 points of contact with potential customers. It took 2-3 months. Various channels were used: email, sms, posts and stories, personal communication in direct, free products, webinars, broadcasts, and more.
Now, with a properly built funnel in social networks, it is enough to build a chain of contacts with a future client for 7-10 days. After all, he himself is aimed at a quick result!
In order for the sale to take place, it is important to “warm up” customers in the following areas:
- warming up to the niche as a whole – what we offer is in demand and cool, you can make cool results on this;
- warming up to expertise – where, from whom did you study, what background, what path has been traveled, what are the results;
- warming up to the product – what experience it was created from, what is the uniqueness of the system, what are the cases and results of customers;
- warming up to the personality – to reveal the expert as a person.
If warm-ups go in all directions in the account, then the client very quickly matures to buy and leaves a request. For example, in August I had 5 sales for 1.1 million rubles. Of these, three are new subscribers who, 5-10 days after the subscription, underwent a free diagnostic, where they bought my mentorship. Or my client is a realtor from Vladivostok, with whom we created a sales funnel on Instagram *, where we scheduled the warming up of the audience in stories every day. The warm-up technique provided her with 2-3 applications per day instead of 1-3 per week and a 4-fold increase in income.
Previously, such a result was from the category of fantasy. Now the right “packaging” and the funnel inside the account quickly motivate people to buy. Check how your social media reflects the four ways to warm up, how people understand who you are, what you sell, and what results you can expect.
Trend 4: online goes offline
This trend appeared after the end of covid restrictions – people missed live communication. Many experts began to organize offline events. Now this trend is only getting stronger. Business breakfasts, masterminds, mini-conferences and other offline events are another quick way to warm up the audience.
At offline meetings, an expert can prove himself, demonstrate his experience and knowledge, open up as a person. People read the manner of speaking, speech, humor, appearance – all this works great for sales.
The audience enthusiastically picks up the trend and wants to become part of the community, so in just a week you can organize a meeting, arouse interest in social networks and sell your product offline. And the story about the event will increase the interest of those who stay in touch with you online. If a year ago the trigger of involvement in a community was far from the most popular, now it is in the top 3. To be in trend, think about how to build your own offline community.
Trend 5: people buy from people
There are few truly innovative products on the online education market, course programs are often repeated. Clients understand this, so they go not for the product, but for the personality of the expert. They like to be in the field of a specific person who attracts not only with his expertise, but also with the way he lives, what he has besides work, what experience he broadcasts.
I can share my own experience. Previously, my account had more value – expert information and tools that can be implemented. In the last three months, the emphasis on the blog has changed. I demonstrate how life changes, broadcast various events and my reaction to them. The audience sees my diverse interests, involvement in work projects, but at the same time they like how I build work-life balance. It resonates and inspires subscribers. If you broadcast your personality systematically, then it arouses interest and sells.
Consider all the above trends and adapt them for yourself. I wish everyone high checks and stable sales!