Do you use Instagram Messenger for your business? If you don’t, we’re guessing you probably fall into one of two categories:
- “What? Businesses use Instagram Messenger?! Where can I learn more?”
- “Eh, I’m not crazy about the idea of using Instagram Messenger for my business. Isn’t that kind of… spammy?”
No matter which category you fall into, we think by the end of this post, you’ll realize what an asset Instagram Messenger can be for your business. Here are some strategies that get results.
Connect With Influencers
Instagram is influencer central. They’re not on Facebook, they’re not on Twitter; they’re on Instagram because it’s a visual medium, which is essential for selling a lifestyle. And before you count yourself out yet, there are influencers that are a fit for every budget, whether you can only send out product or you can drop some money on a paid campaign. (That said, realize that the big name influencers make big time money—they’re not going to promote your brand in exchange for a free product.)
Rather than laser-focusing on finding influencers with hoards of followers, reach out to people who are an organic fit for your brand and who have real engagement on their posts. You’re much more likely to get the results you’re after when you work with a micro-influencer who fits your ideal customer profile than an influencer with 50K followers who obviously wouldn’t use your product if they weren’t being paid to promote it.
How to Do It: First, make sure you’re following Instagram’s guidelines for direct messaging. Once you’ve come up with a list of influencers you’d like to reach out to, send them a personal message. That means no generic messages that you’re sending to hundreds of people—a real, genuine message. Something like, “Hey, we love following your account! Your dog is seriously the cutest. Can we send you one of our products to try and if you like it, we can discuss ways we might work together?” is perfect.
Meet Your Customers Where They’re At
For years now, people have been declaring that email is dead, and while it’s not quite there yet, it might as well be for many. Make it easier for customers who don’t use email to connect with you by offering customer service via Instagram Messenger.
The nature of IG Messenger—and the fact that many people check social media much more than they check email—makes it well-suited for resolving issues quickly and effectively. People want fast answers to their questions, particularly when they’re about to make a purchase. If you’re not able to provide those answers, they might just move onto your competition; give a great response, and you’ll see a boost in sales.
How to Do It: You can set up automated responses in Instagram Messenger, but we recommend doing so with caution. People often turn to IG Messenger because they want a personal response from a human, and if their question gets met with a response that doesn’t answer what they were asking, there’s bound to be frustration. Use automation to filter out simple questions like, “What are your hours?” or “Do you ship to Alaska?” so your team has the time to handle more complicated inquiries.
Build Collabs
Collabs let you leverage someone else’s following (and vice versa) to create marketing magic! This kind of synergy doesn’t just happen, so you’ve got to get yourself out there and network. A collaboration could be with an influencer, another brand, a graphic designer—in short, anyone who has something interesting to offer or add to what you’re already doing. Some collab ideas include:
- Producing a video series with an influencer
- Hosting a big giveaway with several brands that have similar target audiences
- Having a popular artist design a limited release product for your brand
- Asking a foodie influencer to use your product to create a recipe
Make sure any collab you propose is mutually beneficial—if all the benefits fall to you and your brand, it’s going to be hard for people to get excited about what you’re offering. Remember, exposure doesn’t pay people’s bills!
How to Do It: Just like with reaching out to influencers, keep it authentic and genuine. Lay out your proposal as succinctly as you can, and specify how participating will benefit them. You might also want to ask them if they have any other ideas for how you might work together.
Chat With Your Biggest Fans
When someone comments on one of your Instagram Stories, what do you do? We recommend hitting “Reply” and starting a conversation!
This is where you have to tread carefully to make sure you don’t come off as spammy. Don’t start inundating your followers with promo codes and sales. Have real conversations with them. If they comment, “I love this product!,” ask them how they use it or what other products they’d like to see from you in the future. You’ll build brand loyalty this way, but you can also use IG Messenger to get valuable data about your audience. (And yes, you can send promo codes too—just make sure you have a connection first.)
How to Do It: Again, authenticity and genuine connection are key here. This spring, Instagram released new features for their DMs and some of them are great for chatting with customers. Use visual replies to ask customers to show you how they use your product, or offer personalized consultations via DM to recommend products or services tailored to your customers’ needs.
Learn How to Use IG Messenger Like a Boss with Jus B Media
Consider Jus B Media your Instagram sherpa. We’ll show you all the tips and tricks to making the most out of this platform—or we can even manage your account for you! Contact us today to learn more about our social media services.
