Guest Blogger: Tamisha Ford | tamishaford.com
Pinterest. Pinterest! One of my absolute favorite new social platforms created to-date. When it first came to market, I was confused – what’s the point of “pinning” a bunch of random photos that are pretty? I got the concept – it’s supposed to be akin to ripping out magazine pages & putting push pins in them against a corkboard. I got that, but I didn’t understand how it could be beneficial to spend time on it.
I spoke with one of my colleagues who had started using it for her business, and I was inspired. I still didn’t understand exactly how I was going to use it, but I wanted to explore how I could use it in my values-based business for highest impact.
The more people I started following (intentionally of course) and connected with the right boards, the more I realized there were a ton of ways to use Pinterest to my advantage, not only to showcase my own interests, but the interests of my clients, potential clients, and people who were already using it.
And a note here – you don’t have to use Pinterest for “business”, but if you have one, I highly recommend it. According to recent statistics, Pinterest is in the top 3 platforms for SEO (search engine optimization) and influence. Pinterest is where smart business owners go & learn strategies to connect on a real level with their existing customers and potential clientele. You’d be surprised how many people (and women, who typically make buying decisions) love beauty and even crave it because they aren’t getting it where they live or in their surroundings.
Need some of those strategies? I’ve got you covered. Here’s 7 VERY creative ways you can start using Pinterest to connect with your customers on a personal level. And the best news is that you can mix your strategy – it’s like an investment mix. You don’t have to pin stuff that’s strictly for your business. Mix a little “you” in there too – that’s who they want anyway – the product or service purchases will follow.
6 Very Creative Ways to Use Pinterest for Customer & Personal Connection
- Tell A Story
When you start a new Pinterest board, you’ll notice that from the first pin, they stack on each other, starting at the bottom. Depending on what kind of device people view that board on will determine how you see them, but as a general rule, the first pins are at the bottom and most recent at the top.
SO…start a board with this strategy in mind and why not create some kind of story that builds on itself? You can even pin products you sell to do so. Start pinning, and with the first pin, start your story. With every pin to that specific board over time, you can develop a story that’s compelling and makes you stand out from others who might be selling the same products.
- Visually Connect Customers With A Service
Recently, with the launch of my new signature program for introverted women, I started a “vision” board so-to-speak for that service on Pinterest. It connects women visually with the central themes presented in the experience when they work with me. In just a few short months, I’ve gathered almost 300 followers to that one board already.
- Visually Connect Customers with Identities, Traits, or Examples
When someone opts in to receive my weekly personal notes, I give them the opportunity to take an expressions evaluation that shows them their top 2-3 forms of self-expression. Then, I provide them a PDF transcript and mini audio workshops for all 11 forms. Then – you guessed it – I direct them to the Pinterest board for their top 2-3 (I have boards for all 11 on my account). It allows them to see the expression in action and me to teach, which is what I love.
- Share Your Own Products & Inspirations
Honestly, there are a lot of brands doing this really well. You can go to Pinterest and do a search for any of them. Great examples are Sid Dickens, Warby Parker, Jayson Home, Pottery Barn, West Elm, and Motives Cosmetics.
- Find Incredibly Inspiring Quotes
One of my favorite pinners, Caitlin from Roost blog, pins some of the most inspiring, deep quotes I never knew existed. And she culminates them with the most beautiful photos that represent the ideas in those quotes. It’s genius. She has over 49,000 followers.
- Showcase “Best Of” Blog Posts
If you have a website & a blog (business or not), you need to be pinning your best blog posts to Pinterest. Why? When someone clicks on the pin, it will take them to that blog post to read and engage with your content.
You want more traffic to your blog? Pin your blogs to a board after you publish them. Think about the implications of that if even one person repins it or likes it. Then think about it as a strategy over time. A hint here: select photos that are show-stopping as the “featured image” for your blog posts. Dull photos on Pinterest don’t get shared.
I hope this was helpful! What are some other ways you have seen people use Pinterest to connect with their customers?
