If you’re committed to nurturing leads in 2024, you’re going to need to use social media to do it.
That’s not to say you should abandon email and text nurturing. That’s still important. But don’t sleep on social leads.
I’ll give you a stat: A Sprout Social survey found that 64 percent of consumers want brands to link up with them.
And here’s a line from a Forbes article: “ Not only are your customers more likely than not on social media despite your industry, but they are also using social media to make decisions online to buy. Not building a brand on social media is hindering your potential customers from being able to find you.”
One more piece of advice, from Hootsuite: “Social media is an essential way to reach your customers, gain valuable insights, and grow your brand. If you’re avoiding this powerful communication tool, you’re missing out on an incredible opportunity to connect with an audience.”
So how do you use social media to connect with prospective clients and win them over?
I’ve got a precise plan laid out for you in my new guide, including exactly what to say at each stage of the conversation: Get it here (you can also just DM me on Facebook and request it).
I’ll give you a quick overview so you understand the concept.
Engagement = Leads
You must post content that will appeal to your audience. I wrote about that in the previous post in this series. Whenever someone follows/likes/comments, treat the person as a lead and get in contact ASAP.
Ask Questions
You want to find out more about the person and get the conversation going. So ask questions and gather info. For example, where does the person live, and what are they doing for fitness now?
Reflect and Confirm
Make sure that you understand what the person is saying. This is a great place to say things such as “I get it!” and “that makes sense!” and “so you’re looking to improve your strength?”
Help
If you’ve asked the correct questions above, you’ll have all the info you need to suggest a general solution to the person’s problems. You should not write a novel by DM, but this is a good place to establish yourself as an experienced pro.
Make It Personal and Sell
This is when you offer a personalized plan to solve the problem and ask for permission to take things up a level with a call or meeting.
Get on It!
Offer to call right away or book an appointment as soon as possible. Strike while the iron is hot. The best time is right now.
Stay in Contact
If the person isn’t ready to chat, you should send them a link or free resource so they have your “calling card” and can research you further. Circle back to these people. They might be ready to take the next step after digging into your gift.
Passive No More
The key to everything: You don’t just post on social media and walk if you want to grow your business.
You must take initiative and start conversations, and you must warm leads by DM the same way you’d warm them in person or with an email sequence.
Like it or not, social media is where many connections are made now—especially with younger consumers. The good news is that most social media consumers expect and even welcome these connections.
I’ll close with an example: Kieran O’Dwyer is a gym owner, mentor and social-media expert. One of his best current clients had followed Kieran online for some time but didn’t engage at all until Kieran made a post about helping runners. It was very specific.
When the guy responded, Kieran reached out fast to keep the conversation going. The runner is now a mainstay at Kieran’s gym, but he would have remained an “online fan” if Kieran hadn’t messaged him and nurtured the relationship.
So rest assured, great clients are out there on social media.
But you won’t get them if you sit back and wait. You have to make engaging posts, then take the lead to start conversations.
If you do that, you’ll add more clients fast.
To get “The Ultimate Sell-by-Chat Strategy for Gym Owners,” click here.
