Personal Finance

Social platforms are now wheels on which sales are accelerated

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WhatsApp is a salesperson’s tool of trade; it clears any grey areas, and removes time wastage. FILE PHOTO | NMG

How things change! Slightly less than two decades ago, email was considered ‘unofficial’. The hard copy (preferably posted letter-’snail mail’) took precedence. Today, the plethora ways of instant messaging make email the new snail mail. Yet, for many, email is now considered the official version and social media platforms not so. And yet I submit that being ‘social’ doesn’t necessarily make them unofficial when used in a disciplined manner. In fact, in some instances, combined with mobile payments, they are indispensable in accelerating the sale. Let’s look at some.

Facebook

Facebook is the most pervasive of all social media. That’s one way of looking at it. Another way of doing so is that it’s the most ubiquitous distribution and marketing system; Facebook’s reach is mindboggling. You’ve heard it said that if it were a country it would be the third largest-and using it is free! And promoting your advert, relatively affordable.

There’s a popular Kenyan enterprising lady who used to struggle selling shoes on her website until Facebook came along and she gradually migrated to selling through Facebook.

In less than a year she didn’t need her website and her sales were (and still are) astronomical.

YouTube Channel

This mode of communication is quickly gaining currency with enterprising individuals uploading simple (usually) hilarious videos on their YouTube channels.

Admittedly, the jury is still out on the science of the selling behind YouTube. Still, it is not to be dismissed especially when statistics show that the preference of media consumption is quickly moving online.

WhatsApp

The versatility and prevalence of this mode of communication is unprecedented. WhatsApp is a salesperson’s tool of trade; it clears any grey areas, and removes time wastage in, communication.

For instance, the stall owner whom you asked to inform you when he gets a certain type of shoe. Before WhatsApp, he’d have been forced to call/text and let you know he has it. With WhatsApp, he sends you both a text and an image of the shoe. And when the grey twin ticks turn green, he knows you’ve seen it.

Completely non-intrusive as say a ‘phone call would have been. Imagine the time savings made with the back and forth, calling to explain that “it’s black in colour, with laces and the sole is not very thick and the heel is the way you like it.” Imagine the time saved having to make a trip to the stall just to confirm if it’s the right one.

It’s not possible to keep up with rapidly increasing messaging platforms and one need not do so. There are experts for that. Still, one cannot ignore them. And with the so called millennial, who’ve grown with them, coming into decision-making capacities, you are better off quickly embracing than fighting the platforms.