Eldorado’s tips for increasing sales in a looming potential recession with pleasure product promotion on social media.
(Note: This story appears in the December 2023 issue of SE Magazine)
P
eople tend to spend more time online during periods of economic uncertainty, in search of information, support and dopamine-driven distractions. Social media platforms become crucial hubs for connection, making it essential for brands to maintain a strong presence on these channels. This is a golden opportunity to strengthen your digital presence and connect with a larger audience.
The Eldorado Facebook page has doubled its audience since 2018 and has consistently grown both the page’s Reach and Engagement. Successful social media is not only possible in our industry, it is crucial to meet your customers where they are at. Here are some social media best practices tailored for our industry that should help your stores find new customers, keep customers loyal and potentially increase sales.
Back to basics
When was the last time you updated your store’s Facebook, Google or Yelp listing with current store hours, store images or upcoming event information? Regularly updating your store information on these platforms helps customers to find and shop with you.
Consider upgrading your Yelp page, which will look more professional, keeping customers engaged longer. While the increased monthly cost may not fit your annual marketing budget, splurging on this resource during our busiest season (November – February) is well worth the added expense. Yelp research shows that 95% of Yelp users would choose the business with Upgrade Package features over the one without when shown both side-by-side in a search.
Quality content
When it comes to content, quality is better than quantity. The best way to capture your audiences’ attention is through sharing quality content that makes them laugh, shows vulnerability or authentic honesty. A combination of all three can build trust and increase brand recognition; yet, creating quality content takes both money and time. Work with local educators and influencers instead of macro or mega influencers. Local influencers can increase access to their local communities, often at a more affordable rate.
Another way to avoid costly content production is to reuse and recycle Eldorado’s content. We purposely create and curate content for our retailers to re-share on their social pages. Whether you share from our page or download and upload to share from your page directly, we want to make it easier for stores to participate in the pleasure conversation on social media.
Product research
Social media is the preferred product discovery channel for Gen Z and Millennials. Whether they are seeking recommendations from family, friends, knowledgeable strangers or simply visiting a brand or store’s social pages, younger consumers are deciding what to buy, and where to buy it before ever visiting a store. Recently, both Gen X and Boomers have increasingly turned away from more traditional media like television and general Internet searches, preferring the specificity of social media pages.
To keep your social pages and your content visible, edit product descriptions to remove overtly sexual references, and censor images to ensure anything posted is only suggestive, not offensive. A well-placed emoji goes a long way to keep graphic images discreet. Product images that include bodies often get content flagged, as well as the page sharing it.
Historically, the pleasure products industry has been more resilient in times of economic downturn. Even if the recession never materializes, social media has proven to be a powerful tool that helps brands remain accessible and engaged with customers. In an age of increasing criminalization of sexual speech, promoting your sexual wellness business on social media is both good for your business’s bottom line, and a great opportunity to challenge social mores while preserving our freedom of speech.
For more information, please visit eldorado.net.
