Hello again,
Frank here.
As promised, I'm thrilled to share what we discovered about using social media to grow our chamber’s membership, increase retention, and bring in more non-dues revenue.
When first started using social media, our strategy was, quite frankly, a little naïve.
We treated these platforms primarily as free advertising spaces, broadcasting promotions for our events and programs to the world. We also posted our hours and other mundane business stuff.
However, we soon confronted an essential reality: people aren't on social media to see promotions and advertising.
They're there to connect with family and friends, and to consume content that entertains, informs, or inspires them.
Acknowledging this crucial insight, we pivoted our strategy.
We shifted from a promotional model to a content marketing model, focusing on sharing content that resonated with our community.
That's when we observed a significant transformation. Our social media ROI soared.
The new posts reached a wider audience within our community, sparking engagement. Our audience became into our enthusiastic advocates, magnifying our visibility and reach across their networks.
Through content, we were building 'know, like, and trust' relationships!
An unforgettable example was a highly connected local businesswoman who regularly shared our content with her network of Facebook friends. She essentially turned into a passionate salesperson for our chamber, enhancing our reach.
She is one of many examples.
Individuals who discovered us through our social media content started traveling from a wide radius to attend our chamber's luncheons and events.
They quickly transformed from strangers into attendees, sponsors, and loyal members of our chamber.
The key to this outcome was posting valuable content rather that promotions and ads.
The awareness it generated across a broader audience allowed us to convert that visibility into lasting relationships and, ultimately, successful sales.
The retention rate was high because we already had relationships with them.
Content Marketing - that was our first game-changing discovery.
I sincerely hope this insight proves beneficial to you.
Until next time,
Frank
P.S. Have you joined the Facebook group, Chamber Pros Community? Join now. It's FREE.