Purchase Decision

Consumers (and corporate buyers) go through a mental process before finally deciding to buy something. This process is called the buying process aka buyer journey, buyer cycle or buyer funnel. To successfully perform their job of encouraging leads and customers to (eventually) buy their offering, marketers and sales people analyze their customer's current stage within this process. 

Knowing the market's current stage within the buying process, as well as the associated barriers to purchase, aka sales objections, allows marketers to strategically influence customers to advance further through the buying process. 

Uses

• Marketers use this knowledge when deciding on appropriate communication messaging through social media posts, product packaging design, your brand tone, the focus of the sales pipeline and so on. It is a matter of adaptation to avoid wasting time or losing the lead. Example(s).
• If a pre-launch survey discovers customers are at the 'evaluation of alternatives' stage but would need to know your brand better to feel more trusting of it, you will know that you must pay special attention to generating pre-launch product and brand reviews. 
• If a survey discovers that your market is in the 'information search' stage but perceives your products to be technical and hard to understand, you may focus on instructional  or demonstration content, perhaps using videos, labels, handbooks and so on in ways that your target market can understand. 
• Marketers use knowledge of the process to prepare a set of appropriate responses for each phase. That way, they enter into any sales situation well prepared.
• Marketers can use the knowledge to remove business friction. In this context, business friction refers to anything that prevents or dissuades prospects from buying or advancing naturally through the purchase funnel. Examples of friction include insufficient information, untrustworthy presentation, long wait times, products being out of stock. 
• Assuming that you have already figured the normal number of engagement touchpoints required to convert leads, you can predict customers' conversion time and plan accordingly, perhaps aligning them with tentpole events. BTW, As a rule of thumb, more expensive and B2C products require more touchpoints.

The consumer's stages of the purchase decision.

1. recognizes the problem / need
2. searches for information about solutions. 
3. Evaluates alternatives
4. Decides to buy
5. Evaluates the quality of the purchase decision after the purchase. 

Stage 1. Problem / Need Recognition (Awareness)

This stage relates to customer's recognition of the existence of a problem and their consequent need for a solution.

Some problems have clear triggers that force your target to recognize their problem. For instance, when someone becomes ill, the discomfort of their illness is a clear trigger that they need to resolve a health problem. They can be anything, like; emotional states (sadness, joy, jealousy, guilt and so on) which are 'internal triggers'; ad advertisement or other forms of marketing or 'external triggers'; a car breaking down; an acne breakout; plans to have a wedding, seeing the experiences of others that somehow peak one's interest and so on. Marketers often take advantage of predictable triggers. This is the essence of tentpole marketing like seasonal or other events that include back to school preparation, wedding anniversaries, Christmas and so on. In short, marketers should get to understand customer triggers.

However, sometimes, marketers can even generate needs in the minds of consumers. Marketers can encourage consumers to see their current product solution as inadequate by showing how a newer product can fill a gap of an unconsidered need. In other words, marketers create the need and trigger customers. Example(s)

A consumer who already has a pair of pants may be shown an advertisement in which a more modern style of pants feature strategically positioned pockets that add convenience and security in ways that the current product solution does not.

Skilled marketers do NOT consider their products as solutions for only functional problems / needs. Specifically, marketers often appeal to Maslow's hierarchy of human needs with very emotionally-triggering forms of marketing. For example, luxury products are commonly used to fabricate needs include of feelings of belonging to social groups, sense of actualization, respectability and success. Needless to say, triggering emotional needs are stirred with the use of techniques like the principles of influence and lifestyle marketing. While not necessarily the case, this is a likely approach for marketing products whose attributes alone are unlikely to make it strong in the market.

B2C Case(s)

• Brands like Coca Cola is a classic example of the use of emotional marketing because the focus of communication does not even relate to the drink. Marketing focuses instead on human emotional needs for connecting with others socially as a means of happiness. Read the full case study about Coca Cola's emotionally-triggering advertising.  

The same applies to B2B customers. In other words, know the business needs to which you can offer a unique value proposition (UVP) through your careful brand positioning. Spend time to study and create a profile to intimately understand your target market. To think of your offering to them narrowly in terms of products a and b may be as uncompetitive as discussing features rather than benefits to B2C customers. Since products are only means to an end, they have hardcore business needs like 'sales velocity' aka 'pipeline velocity' (Sales velocity relates to how quickly your products can move through the retailer's sales pipeline / process while generating revenue within a set sales cycle period (commonly 1 month). Its measurement involves 4 key variables, namely 1- number of qualified leads aka 'opportunities', 2- average value of sales, 3- the conversion rate of qualified leads and 4- the length of the actual sales cycle ). Wherever possible, offer retailers opportunities to enhance as many of the 4 elements of the equation to in turn enhance their overall sale velocity. Sales velocity relates to internal drivers. Most common external divers include technological changes in operational processes like online ordering and payments.

B2B Case(s):

• Wholesale buyers (retailers of your FMCG). They are unlikely to be passionately interested in your products. So do not focus on simply selling products. Rather, do several things; illustrate how your products are a good fit within their market; as part of your sales pitch to them, share market research on your product that suggests additional creative placements (aka 'increased sales opportunities, an element that improves sales velocity). For instance, 
• share with the retailer that female respondents to your market research reported an unexpected use for your product to remove makeup. You can then offer regular or, appropriate size for bundling with or placement next to a market leader's makeup (to increase opportunities of qualified leads). To do this effectively, seek out alternate placement opportunities by studying your customer's retail website catalog collections or brick & mortar planogram.   
• Perhaps several of your products can be volume bundled together or you can recommend cross selling options (to increase the average 'deal value')
• Perhaps you can create differently colored seasonal variants that, in addition to going in its usual boring aisle placement, it can make it to coveted end cap presentations, thereby increasing number of opportunities). 
• Offer an additional size for your consumer who has the pain point but with less frequency and not to the same degree as the target for whom the pain point is urgent and persistent (to increase the number of opportunities).
• Offer shelf talkers that communicate effectively, thereby freeing up time of the retailer's sales people. (This essentially reduces the retailer's sale cycle). 
• Offer your wholesale customers to use reviews from your research or earlier sales. They can display these on their websites and or as part of the POP display.
• Avoid stocking out your wholesale customers. Otherwise, the 0 sales will lower your overall sales velocity.

Your response:

• Find out your market's (internal and external) triggers. Find out your target's needs, not only as they relate to your specific product or service offering but also in terms of your 'extended offering'. For instance, after establishing all the decision-making roles within B2B customer organizations, find out the needs or pain points of each role. Specifically ask something like, 'What attribute(s) do you use for selecting suppliers of [__name of your product  or service]". In other words, you may be able to tip the scale in your favor in multiple ways. Similarly, also survey your B2C to also know how to improve their sales velocity.
• Perhaps Coca Cola asked consumers open-ended questions about the life events that encouraged them to buy soft drinks. They likely also asked about the positive benefit consumers got from those experiences. While everyone would have worded the benefits differently, Coca Cola's researcher likely saw lots of positivity, observed many faces turn to smiles as respondents reminisced and then concluded that the common thread could be summed up in one word; 'happiness'. I imagine that, at first, some non-marketing professionals not yet understanding the power of psychology in marketing scoffed at the idea, saying, 'but it's just a sugary drink!' Today, Coca Cola continues to be a global leader against the odds of strong trends towards a healthier diet. Their Christmas tentpole marketing is an example of how this brand 'increases opportunities of qualified leads' who are thinking of love and reunions with family and friends at that time of year. 
• If your target does not recognize its need, seek to inform your market of its existence. Needs are arguably the most important step because needs create the interest and will to act. (B2C & B2B)
• Address sales objections as a means to make sure the (perceived) need can stick. To this end, find out any biases your target may have (that may become sales objections) like being used to a specific brand, specification type and so on.
• Qualify leads (in a fully designed sales pipeline). If unsure, do not shy away from asking B2c and B2B leads directly about their greatest challenges. B2B are likely even more articulate than consumers. Remove non-qualifying leads as they will encourage you to waste time and lower your overall sales velocity.
• B2C case(s)
• Products announce their qualification criteria with statements like 'children from 5 to 12 years old'. 'sexually explicit content, viewer discretion advised' and so on.
• B2B case(s) 
• One of my B2B clients has a webpage contact form that asks consumers qualifying questions as a condition to initiating a live chat call or leaving any type of message.
• Introduce your brand with its clear UVP. This essentially qualifies or disqualifies you to leads.

2. Information Search (research)

After customers recognize their problem, they seek information. This often simply involves seeking out solutions. However, in some cases, a remedial approach also involves seeking deeper insight into the problem, especially if it is one that is technical. 

In either case, this research most commonly takes the form of internet searches and asking people within their circle (for details about their experiences and advice). Example(s) 

• If a customer's car broke down, he may learn more about his car to know what car part was problematic. He may also begin to learn that cars can be repaired with new car parts, replaced with new or second hand ones, public transport, car pooling, biking or  walking might be possible options.

Your response

• Create advertisements that provide enough information that peaks the interest of consumers. Also consider that the product benefit may not be the focus of the messaging but subconscious needs. The expectation is that leads are likely to then dig for deeper details in the next stage.
• Coca Cola provides information not about the product but of \happiness' and what it looks like when consuming the drink.
• A car manufacturer's advertisement may focus on showing how reliably their car functions, perhaps showcasing how owners of their cars are always on time for social events (social needs for belonging), work (self actualization and esteem needs) and so on according to the motivating needs of the market.
• Use search keywords in online communications (website, social media, advertisements and so on).
• Provide only relevant information. Extraneous information can be a distraction and turnoff. 

3. Evaluation of Alternatives (consideration)

At this stage, customers compare and contrast competing solutions on the basis of attributes they subjectively consider important. At some level, your target is engaging in product or brand positioning. (See how you business can engage in branding positioning very strategically).

Needless to say, a strong influence is the lead's attitude towards his or her 'level of mental involvement' into the evaluative process. Specifically, this relates to the time and effort spent comparing numerous products or brands versus evaluating only alternatives within one company or immediately in front of them.

• New ventures should showcase positive reviews whenever possible to build consumer trust.
• I think that it is wise to use POP displays that are as persuasive as possible for low involvement leads. Given the fact that they arrive at the store without much or any prior knowledge, they rely heavily on the in-store experience to complete this stage of evaluation.
• Cosmeceuticals. In my personal experience, consumers with lower levels of involvement are sometimes not among your most valued target market. For instance, if you sell acne products, low involvement persons includes those with 'normal' skin who experience the acne pain point only once in a while as a relatively mild form of acne. Furthermore, the breakout may even last for a shorter period than average. In such cases, their demand can be described as 'irregular' (ie only when they have a breakout or 'seasonal') or the demand may be 'negative' (in that there might be resistance as the perception of it is similar to that of medicine). Consequently, you must rely more heavily on product packaging, POP displays and maybe advertisements that keep your brand in people's minds during their 'off-season' periods. Communication must consider that such segments are likely to have not even established their own personal set of must-have attributes for comparison between brands, product or brand preferences and so on. They might either decide against worrying with getting a solution or, if they do not have a secondary pain point like price-sensitivity, would evaluate alternatives based on something like size because such consumers need a smaller size for the relatively short-term breakout. In short, findings like this may motivate you to provide variants in product sizes or advertisements.
• People going to buy soft drinks, especially in large volumes, usually do so for social gatherings. It is therefore a stroke of genius on the part of the Coca Cola branding managers to have fabricated a strong association between the drink and social connections as a doorway to happiness. Ultimately, at some subconscious level, shoppers may consider Coca Cola for fitting (than Pepsi) for making their party more enjoyable. Shoppers mentally replay scenes of the joyful events in advertisements but , at the point of purchase, inserting themselves and friends into the scenes.

Your response.

• Know the key product attributes on which customers compare and contrast brands. Also know where your competitive brand position. Stress that unique selling proposition / unique value proposition as the better option over your competitors.
• Reviews on home page and product pages.
• Community Q&A forums.
• When dealing with B2B customers, be proud of your premium prices. In fact. a good strategy is to offer the following 3 price tiers. If you present your brand as worthy, you may get the surprise premium sales.  
• low-cost level for the most basic offering
• the mid-level option that you think they are likely to accept and then 
• the premium option (that you are unsure whether they will take).

4. Purchase Decision (conversion)

This is the point of conversion, aka the point at which the prospect finally converts him or herself into a paying customer through a purchase.

Your response

• Make the transaction as easy as possible.
• Use selling tactics. For instance, use images of people whose eyes are visible, use editorial images of people enjoying the product and fulfilling even subconscious benefits ie versus images with white backgrounds. These techniques trigger emotions. Emotions are essential in enhancing conversion because they trigger action. (Emotionless transactions run the risk of indifference to the offering).
• You have a process for recapturing abandoned cart cases.
• Eliminate distractions. For instance, do not have links away from the checkout.
• Some sellers show reviews of the business' site and customer experience. There may be important assurances like of tracking services.
• Be as transparent as possible with the price and additional costs like shipping and taxes.

5. Post-purchase behavior / evaluation

This stage involves the post-purchase stage in which customers ask themselves, "Did I make the right buying decision?". Unfortunately, these doubts may lead to cognitive dissonance aka buyer's remorse, especially for high ticket items or anything that can have a considerable impact on the consumer's life. Cognitive dissonance is the state is psychological and mental discomfort because of some type of misalignment a customer's perceptions of what they would get and what they actually got. To resolve this discomfort, customers may return products, ask for refunds and give bad reviews.

A marketer's response:

• Reinforce the purchase decision, especially for high ticket items like a personalized 'thank you' card congratulating customers for having bought the product and reiterating the benefits. This is intended to minimize potential customers' cognitive dissonance.
• Request feedback from customers. They are more likely to actually give reviews if you ask.
• Include promotional items in order packages. Customers are highly likely to repurchase from the brand.

CONTENT RELATED TO THE PURCHASE DECISION

• Point of purchase (POP) displays should be informed by the consumer's buying decision.
• Tribal branding is the ultimate level of brand affinity that your customer can have with your brand. This type of branding ensures that your customers make favorable purchase decisions based on an emotional bond with your brand.
• Social media management
• Sales funnel 101.
• Sales objections
• Sales pipeline
• Map your customer lifetime journey




• B2B and B2C 'customer personality' traits that you should consider when selling.
• Social media 101 - Social media is the ultimate means for customer engagement
• Instagram 101
• Facebook Groups
• Unique selling proposition (USP)
• brand positioning
• Wholesale payment terms
• Customer relationship management
• B2B
• B2C
• Abovementioned case studies in other content
• Coca Cola
• Cosmeceuticals industry

Create a Facebook Group

How Facebook Groups differ from Facebook Pages

A Facebook group is a Facebook space in which users can join as members to engage with the brand and others frequently about common interests.

To illustrate the value of Facebook groups, I will discuss them with comparisons and contrasts with Facebook pages. Pages are more formal and always public. They can be likened to a slightly more interactive 'About us' profile page or, in more human interaction terms, to your home's front yard. Using the frontyard analogy, it is visible to the public, to anyone on the street. As the owner of the home, you are the only one hanging decoration for Christmas or a new baby on board and so on. You may likely have posted short public details like your house's lot number and name on the wall facing the road. In short, what you show the world from your front yard (FB Page) has a generic tone. It is focused on general news updates to the general public who may or may not share your interests (like your target market would).

  

Passersby may choose to react, to say 'I like that decoration', perhaps to take photos of your Christmas tree to share them with their friends to encourage them to visit this place with a beautiful tree. A passerby might even show a photo and say, 'look at my tree'. However, since this is afterall your frontyard, people won't normally think to call other passersby to start decorating for and discussing Boxing Day (a holiday celebrated in the British Commonwealth).

Conversely, Facebook groups can be likened to your backyard, ie a more informal and intimate space where you invite closer family and friends to relax and chat in family gatherings. Being a more intimate settings, your guests may raise the topic of Boxing Day or any other topic. Unlike general public, your group is an already very keen and engaged audience. They are in your sales funnel, you are in their buying / purchase funnel. You and your guests may have detailed discussions about Christmas, Boxing Day, etc that you only mentioned in passing in the frontyard. In otherwords, your backyard is designed for more intimate interaction among like-minded people.

Given the more intimate nature of your discussions, you must decide the extent to which the public can observe your backyard activities. You may select to leave your backyard within 'public' view, ie by not using barricades to prevent passersby on the main road from eavesdropping on your family activities. If you wish however, you may build a wall that completely blocks the ongoings of your backyard from view to make your activities 'private'. Allowing persons into your private space is a matter of knowing that they share your values. To this end, you might even ask them questions before allowing them in. In other cases, you might configure your backyard in such a way that it is so 'secret' that the passing public on the road does not even know of the existence of your backyard. They can only be invited by someone within your intimate group.

In summary, here are some key take away points about Facebook groups.

• Facebook groups are ideal for customer engagement and retention marketing in the sales funnel. They are a marketer's dream come true: they are a group of self qualified leads whose membership signals their engagement readiness. 
• Group members are more active than page visitors. Unlike page visitors that only react when brands post, group members are allowed the voice to initiate discussions.
• Brands can develop deeper insight into the target market's profile beyond just the product needs. This is because Facebook Groups encourage posts that are about anything. It is common for small business groups owners and members to ocassionally post about their children or pets. In reality, groups offer less demographic analytics than pages because pages are designed for advertising to the general public. However, the type of analytics provide such deep insight that they can help you to improve your connection. 
• By allowing group members to initiate discussions and the fact that they are truly interested, groups are sustainable (ie in contrast with FB pages that usually get responses only when the brand generates content). It is really just a matter of setting the stage for group members.
• Groups provide better organic reach (than pages). Since group members have used their membership to essentially opt in for notifications, they receive all of your notifications. In contrast however, Facebook relies on its algorithm only to determine whether to allow posts from pages to the public. Specifically, the public is likely to continually see your content only if they actively interacted with past posts. If not, your content simply disappears from their feed.

Depending on privacy settings, this communication is more personalized and intimate which may motivate even internet-shy group members to post. For instance, your leads can ask questions, current customers can respond and also showcase how they are receiving value from your product. In short, you can create a sense of community in which you can nurture leads more and for extended periods simply because your leads will continue to receive notifications for your new posts. Facebook group communities even allow greater company responsiveness as you can involve members in decisions.

Tips to boost group member / customer engagement & QUALITY of engagement

1. Make the group private and qualify entrants with questions. Facebook allows groups to ask 3 entry questions. Be selective! Do not worry about quanity but quality of membership as this will encourage active and meaningful engagement. (Some marketers collect email addresses as part of the 3 questions and then add the address to mailing lists as a means of ensuring they can always reach members).

2. Use the fact that your group is private with specific entry requirements to boast about membership being exclusive for the sake of guaranteeing quality experience.

3. If you have a faithful following on other social media platforms, incentivize them to also tune in to Facebook by making certain types of content exclusive to Facebook. Since they already know and like you on one platform, you are likely to also get high quality engagement from them on Facebook. You can also leverage the audiences of other publishers. For instance, provide quality content in the form of responses to other publications. Subtly encourage others to know what you do. You can also do collaborations with non-competing publishers whose target market is the same as yours. 

4. Establish a very clear and specific theme. For instance, if you target a certain niche in the market, let that me very clear.

5. Have an onboarding process (tailored for the role, new customers, employees, etc). This may include a welcome video. Be sure to with the core values, expectations, the benefit to members (like a UVP), instructions to configure notifications settings to receive all posts. Consider incentivizing actions like adjusting their notification settings.

6. Provide consistent content. Create schedules for live videos, stories, etc. This should include having a tentpole calender planned for the entire year in advance. 

7. Ensure all content has calls to action. Be sure to respond. Afterall, 2-way communication lets the Facebook algorithm rank your group highly. The section immediately below briefly discusses formats for content.

Facebook offers many of the same 'Story' features, including hashtags that I discussed otherwise for Instagram. 

Always pay special attention to super engaged people, ie people who respond with full sentences and developed thoughts versus single-word responses or emojis. In this section, I will discuss some engagement ideas. 

• Involve your group in your decision-making process. You can use polls for this type of close-ended question. The option allows checkbox or multiple choice settings. Example(s).
• Which version of this label do you prefer?
• Ask for opinions. You can use open-ended questions. Example(s).
• What other element(s) would you love to have in product x?
• See more comprehensive set of examples in my other discussion on Instagram stories. 

How to create a Facebook Group

-

• Log in to your Facebook account
• In the left column section named 'Groups', hover over the word groups. The word 'more' will appear. Click the 'more' link. You should be directed into a groups page (with different options like 'suggested groups', 'friends' groups', etc). 
• Click the green 'Create Group' button in the top right corner of the page
• In the dialog box (pictured below), enter details like the group name, privacy settings and so on. 
• Members: 
• You can add current friends
• Privacy:
• Public: anyone can see the group, join at will and post (once they have joined). Beware: public groups have a reputation of generating spam (ie unwanted commercial correspondence).
• Closed: anyone can find the group and its members but can not see the posts. This may be useful for groups that have paid services. These groups are more likely to generate content that is more personally valuable to members, especially if they are segmented. Furthermore, these groups give some level of comfort as it relates to privacy of discussions.
• Secret: only members can see the group, its members and post. Only invitees can become members and see the group. These groups are more likely to generate content that is more personally valuable to members, especially if they are segmented. Furthermore, these groups provide maximum privacy regarding discussions and even membership.

               

• In the top banner, select 'upload photo' to add an image. The image should be 800*200 px. Another option for uploading a photo is by selecting 'description' under the banner and then clicking 'add a photo'.
• Below the banner section, select 'description' to enter group description information
• Since you have admin person, you will see an option to 'add new members' the middle right section of the screen
• From this point, members will be able to add content to the timeline by selecting any of several options (write post, add photos/videos, create poll or add a file). Unlike a classic forum, Facebook pages are not very static once members post content. This is so because new content pushes older content down and, eventually, out of sight.   

• You will also be able to post events for the viewing of only group members. Events are useful for activities like webinars. (Read about the webinar sales funnel). To create an event;
• click 'events' in top menu below the banner
• click the 'create an event' link
• enter event details like an image, event name, start and end times and a description of the event

     

• You will also be able to upload documents (PDF, MS Word documents and so on) that can be shared among all members.
• DOs
• To get started and generate content, you may need to find and invite members of other groups that are frequent and valuable contributors. This is a necessary evil since most average members do not contribute at all or much, which increases your individual burden as the owner to generate all of the content.
• Use your Facebook group like a focus group. For instance, seek feedback on (new) products, ideas and so on from members.
• Use your Facebook group to nurture members with free resources with the use of the document upload feature.
• Facebook groups can get out of hand if not set up and managed correctly. For instance, people may enter the group and start spamming. Plan the group well based on a clear unique value proposition. The unique value proposition will inform many things like who is allowed to become a member, participation rules and so on.

CONTENT RELATED TO CREATING A NEW FACEBOOK GROUP

• Retention marketing & the hour glass sales funnel
• Third party video instructions for creating a new Facebook group
• Facebook pages are not obsolete. They may work well in conjunction with Facebook groups in that they are useful for the earlier (stages of the) sales funnel
• Enhance the success of your Facebook group by basing its plan on a clear unique value proposition
• Facebook advertising setup
• Social media 101
• Instagram 101
• Facebook Groups
• WhatsApp Business
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Chatbots
• Tawkto

Instagram for Business Marketing

Instagram in 2021 is still among the most popular photo and video sharing social media apps. It allows the audiences to connect with brands, celebrities, thought leaders, friends and family. Although it is a standalone app, it is owned by Facebook which means that some features (like paid advertisements) within Instagram are the result of integration between the 2 platforms. The following discussion points will be tackled in this introductory post.

Account types | Profile | Hashtags | DMs (to close sales) | Stories (to close sales)| @Mention & @Tag | More External Links with under 10k followers | IGTV | General Tips

Common Uses & Benefits

• Tentpole or other promotions for lead generation (business accounts)
• Call to Action CTA buttons help to prompt leads to convert (business account)
• Finetune your target market profile using analytics of your audience (business account)
• Sell directly from Instagram via direct messages (DM)s (business account)
• Influencer marketing. If possible, you can ask your influencers to set up a creator type of account to also help them to use the additional commercial functions of that account type.

Instagram Account Types 

The 3 Instagram account types are 1) business, 2) creator and 3) personal.

	Professional		Personal
	Business	Creator*	Personal
Analytics	Yes	Yes	No
Contact details Commercial buttons	Yes	Yes	No
Gift cards / Stickers	Yes	Yes	No
'Swipe up'  * functions	Yes	Yes	No
API Access *	Yes	No	No
Post Scheduling	Yes	No	No
FB Creator Studio	Yes	No	No
3rd party analytics	Yes	No	No
Private mode	No	No	Yes
Full music library	No	Yes	Yes
Royalty free music library	Yes	?	?

* Business accounts are ideal for companies that are selling products or services, maybe you even have an online store. Unlike any other account type, individuals that have already visited your account at some point can be targeted specifically with advertisements.

* Swipe up functions allow audiences to swipe up the screen to access a link. They are perceived as an account's badge of superior worthiness on the platform because not all accounts can use them.

* Creator accounts are ideal for influencers for your brand, creatives like musicians, etc. They will likely prefer the greater commercial functionality of this account over the personal account. (You will continue to maintain your business account).

* API access refers to the ability to schedule posts, access to the creator studio and ability to use third party analytics.

To know or change your account type

> Click your profile image

>'Edit Profile'

> Scroll down to 'Switch to __ account' (If you have a personal account, you will be given the option to switch to a professional account and vice versa).

Profile

Consider the optimization of your profile as a strategy for converting visitors to leads (lead generation) and to buyers.

Username. Use a name that is easy to be heard and understood, remembered and spelt.

Profile image. For a personal brand, use a head shot of yourself with a background that is the same color as your brand. A strong background color is more likely to stop audiences from scrolling further. Avoid placing key parts of the image on its edges of the frame because edges can get cut off, especially for landscape oriented images. Consequently, use the portrait orientation for images.

Name. A little known fact is that this field is searchable. Consequently, use the typical keywords that your market will look for. Examples include location, product type, possibly niche.  

Bio. Use your brand positioning statement or incorporate your UVP otherwise. A commonly used template is as follows.

• Helping [target market] transform [problem] into [benefit]. the first / only brand to ..... / ranked # 1 /  x,y,z results  <== build trust. Get a free X analysis / free tutorial re ...   <== free resource with high perceived value.
• X professional for [target market] needing [benefit]. Featured in [publication]. [#]  years of experience. DM me for [free resource: free qualification meeting, etc].

Links. Accounts with under a certain number of followers (usually 10,000) are limited to only 1 link. In such cases, rather than simply using that link for your website's homepage, use it strategically for something like your lead magnet, newest blog post, product collection / diablog page of a tentpole promotion, chat bot and so on. 

Hashtags

What are hashtags

A hashtag is a combination of letters, numbers and or emoji preceded by the # symbol like #keyword123. Since Instagram groups together all content with the same hashtag, your potential customers may find you if they either click the hashtag from somewhere else on the platform or type in keywords to find it in the search box. Since Instagram has very limited search capabilities, they are very important for being found by potential customers who are not already in your circle. Hashtags can not be trademark protected or otherwise owned, anyone create and use them. 

Guarantees regarding being found

There are no guarantees that each potential customers will see your entry in their hashtag search results. This is because hashtags are sorted algorithmically. To explain, Instagram simultaneously shows 2 sets of hashtag results named; 1) 'Top' results and 2) 'most recent' results'. 'Top' results are tailored to the individual's personal search history and past behavior on the platform. Conseequently, no two people will get the same 'top' results for the same hashtag search.

TOP RESULTS | MOST RECENT RESULTS

Where to apply feed hashtags

You can apply hashtags as follows.

1. Up to 30 hashtags in each post aka your 'feed' in either of the following (it does not matter. Some people prefer to put the tags in the comments to not appear too spam-like. However, research suggests that this does not matter).

• the caption or 
• your comments section when engaging with the audience.

2 Up to 3 hashtags in each 'story'

3. Up to 30 hashtags in IGTV 

How many to use?

Use as many relevant hashtags as you can. If you use them, there is no harm but you have the opportunity to have your content found.

Selecting hashtags strategically

Aiming to use at least 15 to 20 hashtags. combine hashtags of varying levels of popularity and specificity. 

• apx 23% very popular hashtags (ie those with number of use of up to several hundred thousands xxx,xxx to 1,000,000. Beyond this level of use can attract spam bots). Popular hashtags give immediate activity that will likely last for several minutes before becoming buried among other posts.
• apx 23% moderately popular hashtags (ie with xx,000s to xxx,000 uses). Moderately popular hashtags will remain current for longer, perhaps hours into days.
• apx 23% very niche-specific hashtags that relate to your UVP and search terms your market uses. When Instagram sees that your followers and non followers are liking a post, your niche-specific hashtags can keep your content relevant for even longer as a top post, which can be months. Potential customers can click to your profile or link you have included and begin to engage with your brand from this point. NB Think outside the box also. If your UVP is not something commonly searched for on Instagram (like Accounting classes), you must think about what other complementary product or service keywords your Accounting student clients are likely looking for on Instagram like 'financial calculators'. In other words, they are using keywords from their (not your) perspective.
• apx 12.5% branded hashtags

Hashtag length

For branded: short, easy to remember and spell. For content hashtags: longer, more descriptive words (about giveaway, tentpole name, etc) that make the purpose very clear. 10 to 20 characters are a good range.

Direct Messages (DMs)

DMs are a messaging system by which anyone in your audience can conduct 1-on-1 private discussions with you (the account owner). There are several types of DMs; text-based which are like regular text messages; pictures; videos (of only 15 seconds); video chat; group chat and voice notes.

Instagram Stories

Stories are a different form of content that disappear after 24 hours. They can consist of videos of up to 15 seconds or photos that appear for up to 6 seconds. Furthermore, stories can be used to enhance engagement with the optional interactive features like question stickers,  sliders or polls (for voting, etc).

Common uses

• to generate warmer qualified leads, to encourage engagement with the optional interactive features as the following. You can then use 1-on-1 DMs to engagement more directly with leads and potentially even close sales. Consider how you may capture the attention of your competitors' customers (with your competitive advantage and UVP). 
1. question stickers (for OPEN-ENDED responses)
• Warm lead generation prompt: 
• Did you know? My expertise is in helping people struggling with _[painpoint]_ to achieve _[result based on UVP]_. I do this by _[product description]_ which has thus far helped _[#]_ others achieve _[result]_. If you want to get rid _[painpoint]_, reply to this story. I will help you get started for free. Just comment below, send me a private message and give me details about your _[painpoint]_.
• Leads for new product launch, also for people on the fence: 
• I have something new and exciting in the pipleline. I think you will love it! Send me a DM in the comment box below if you want to be on the early bird waiting list. This will allow you to be the first to know about special offers and any other exciting secrets.
• Are you tired of __pain point__?  (This triggers an emotion of joyful anticipation. Emotions are an essential aspect of decision-making that also enhances conversion). Finally, there is a product to resolve that problem  safely. (emotion of relief) .... [editorial image to help customer visualize themselves using the product with positive emotional outcomes that correspond with subconscious needs for the product].
• Are you concerned that __product x__ won't work for you? This is __customer x__. (S)he came for my help with __pain point__. After using __product x__, s/he now have __benefit x__. If you want to overcome your __pain point__ but something is keeping you back, use the box below to tell me about that obstacle.
• Encourage discussion about sales objections
• Hi, If you are new to my Instagram, I am ___ and I help __[niche]__ with __[desired outcome]__, even despite __[typical objection the audience has]__. How have you struggled the most with __[niche pain point]__?
• Shout outs to collaborators, brand evangelist (doing things that fit your lifestyle branding objectives) or producers of complementary offerings for the sake of visibility and relevance.
• I was fortunate to work with some fantastic ___ and just wanted to give them a small shout-out. Thank you @___ for ___. If you were moved by anyone else whose work helped you, I would love to hear about it.
• Ask me anything, #AMA
• Video requests
2. sliders (for responses on a scale, like a LIKER SCALE)
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3. polls (for MULTIPLE CHOICE question responses). 
• Lead generation prompt: Should I discuss / share tip X or Y tomorrow? The winning response will determine which of the two prepared options you will provide. Regardless of their response, you can send a direct message (DM) to each lead.
• Prompt: I work in the ___ industry and have seen that most people struggle with ___. Unfortunately, it left unchecked, the problem worsense and looks like ___, However, this does not have to happen to you. I know how to help you overcome this challenge so you can _benefit__. I have included details in my my __lead magnet_. Tell me in the poll below if you need this solution. I'll be happy to forward the link to you.
• Prompts that your influencers (who are qualified customers) can use when promoting your product.
•   I have a secret. Despite outward appearances, I have been struggling with __[pain point]__. I want to share how I have been working through it. __[describe solution]__. Is __[pain point]__ something that you also struggle with? Use the box below to send me a message. Maybe I can help. 
• What is your preference in color for new product variants.
• Promotions like promotion codes, announcements, contents, blog posts, testimonials
• Short audiovisual content like quick 'how to' videos, short bits of advice, etc 
• Product displays like images from different angles
• .... geolocation stickers can be as specific as your street address or broad as proviince or state. This feature can be enabled only if you enter your location in your profile. This feature enhances your chance of being discovered by people near you.
• Your restaurant's story can include an image of your best selling wrap and attach the geolocation sticker along with a location hashtag.
• Lead generation / new market development using paid Facebook advertisements.
• Paid advertisements

@MENTION & @TAGS   

The @ sign can be placed infront of the username of an Instagram user, like @JohnSmith. Depending on where they are placed, they are called differently. When placed within the body of a post, like "This image was painted by @PicassoPainter." they are called @mentions. However, when attached to images, they are called tags.

Common uses

• Shout outs (read more about shout outs otherwise within this article)
• Image tags (not only @mentions). Image tags are used as long term galleries on the profile of the tagged account. (Thisis unlike @mentions that only trigger trending notifications for your audience. Specifically, if audience members have over the limit of 100 outsanding visible notifications, the notification will no longer be visible.)

IGTV

Instragram TV (IGTV) is an app that is separate from Instagram. However, the 2 have been automatically integrated. Unlike Instagram that limits the duration of videos to only 1 minute for feeds, IGTV offers longer-form videos, up to 1 hour (for web uploads or 15 minutes for phone uploads).

MULTIPLE EXTERNAL LINKS WITH UNDER 10K FOLLOWERS

You can add clickable external links in your Instagram profile. However, Instagram has limited this facility to only one link for accounts with under 10,000 followers. Unfortunately, most businesses can not reach this 10,000 mark but would like to offer external links to different landing and other external pages. 

Uses & Benefits of Clickable links

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Here are some workarounds for the limitation on links

• Use IGTV video's 'swipe up' function. if you have not done so already; switch to a business account. From with Profile settings, click the IGTV video icon. Click the + sign to add a video whose duration is atleast 15 seconds but up to 10 minutes. This video should be a Call-to-Action (for a free master class, sign up for something, early pre-order group membership access, lead magnet, etc). Give the video a title that matches your CTA. Place the link at the top of the description. Add emojis at the beginning of the link to draw attention to it.  

GENERAL TIPS

• Create a separate account for each brand and niche. This will ensure  a consistent brand story.
• Post visually appealing images and or videos, even for mundane, negative demand services. Your images do NOT need to always showcase your product. Here are some examples. 
• Use mascots. Think Gieco for the negative demand product; insurance. one financial institution used a mascot, 
• Use lifestyle branding like how Red Bull may show images of extreme sport events or evangelist enjoying extreme soirts rather than a glass of their drink.
• Always include Calls to Action (CTAs) when posting.
• Test and establish the best time for posting to get highest levels of engagement.
• Be fun and interesting! Whenever possible, use gamification. run contests and giveaways. This technique usually increases engagement 

CONTENT RELATED TO INSTAGRAM 101

• Sales funnel 101. Social media is useful for the all important 'engagement' phase of the sales funnel.
• Brand voice and tone
• For hashtag ideas, use IconoSquare.com or Webstagram.com
• Brand story and lifestyle branding
• Emotional branding (with case studies for happiness, sadness, anger and fear)
• Social media 101
• Instagram 101
• Facebook Groups
• WhatsApp Business
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Internal links: DMs; stories; top hashtag results; profile;