We are so excited to have Wendy Gould to tell us how to utilize Pinterest and make it into a marketing tool. Wendy Rose Gould is a freelance writer who lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Her work has appeared on The Huffington Post, Yahoo! Shine, Mom.me, San Francisco Gate, Aol and many others. She’s also the author of the eBook: “Shoe Secrets Every Well-Heeled Wearer Should Know.” Make sure you take notes of the following tips that Wendy shares, they can make a huge difference in how you use Pinterest to market your business!
5 Ways to Get Business Smart With Pinterest
Pinterest is a glorious land where crafts and home projects run amok, recipes inspire photogenic dinners and fashion features ensure you look darn good every time you saunter out the door. But did you know, in addition to all that goodness, Pinterest can actually help build your business?
Get this: Pinterest has quickly blossomed into one of the Internet’s most frequented websites and social networks. In fact, it reached 10 million unique visitors faster than any other website and receives over 1 million visitors every day.
Those numbers should impress you. Better yet, they should inspire you. Pinterest is an effective business tool that can help get your work seen, book you clients and ultimately help you bring in that sweet, sweet green.
1. Prepare Your Blog/Website: Whether you’re a photographer, cake maker or crafter extraordinaire, pinning your work on Pinterest is a must. Write a blog update? Pin it. Post a recipe? Pin it. Showcase your most recent photo shoot? Pin it. In addition to pinning yourself, make it easy for others to pin to their own boards, as well. Here’s How:
– Add a “Pin It” link to your browser bar (for your personal use)
– Create a personalized “Follow Button” for all your websites and blogs.
– Add a “Pin It” button to your websites and blogs
2. Build a Following: The more followers you have on Pinterest, the more people will see your product. While building a following takes time and energy, it’s not extraordinarily difficult and is definitely worth your trouble. To build followers on your Pinterest, post quality pins and do it consistently. Also explore other areas of Pinterest, especially those pertaining to your field, and pin other peoples’ work.
Additional ways to gain followers: follow and re-pin others, pin during peak hours (typically early afternoon and after dinner); comment on pins, especially if the person has the potential to be a client (eg. building lots of wedding boards and you’re a wedding photographer); thank those who re-pin you; pin across a range of boards.
3. Let People Know You’re Offering A Product: What good is pinning away if people don’t know you’re selling something? The easiest way to show that you’re selling is to make sure a price is displayed on your pin. To do his, add a $ sign followed by the price and then the description. You can even create entire pinboards dedicated entirely to priced items. This “catalog” of sorts allows people to browse what you have to offer and click on an item if the price and item appeals.
4. A Picture’s Worth a Thousand Words: Ever notice how gorgeous all the photography is on Pinterest? There’s a reason you only see the good stuff. Two people can take a picture of a crocheted blanket they’re selling, but the one that’s crumpled in a heap against a murky background is going to fall to the wayside. The photograph that highlights the item’s colors, details and is composed in an aesthetically appealing way is going to do much better on a websites that caters to beautiful things. If you’re selling a service, use photographs that are beautiful, as well. Add brief text to explain your service. For example, “Newborn Portraits” with a price tag (see #3) and your most prized newborn shot.
5. Be Approachable, but Professional: It may take time, but cultivate a vibe on your Pinterest that reads professional, yet friendly. Encourage people to ask you questions or voice concerns, engage pinners in dialogue with questions, make it clear that you have a business/service/product and make your contact information very visible.
So, the next time you’re drooling over peanut butter chocolate chip recipe brownies or cooing over a feathery frock that’d be perfect for that next evening shindig, remember this: Pinterest know how to mix business with pleasure. And in this case, that’s a very, very good thing.
Make sure to click this link to check out BP4U on Pinterest. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to put them in the comment section below.
