How to sell on Instagram with Bigbangram tools: a step-by-step guide

This article contains some tips on how to sell on Instagram: where to start and how to communicate with followers using automatic tools.

Today Instagram is used by more than 2 billion active followers worldwide. The network is in the TOP-5 popular social platforms on the Internet. Even if you do not plan to make this co-marketing platform your main source of sales, it is still worth creating an account and updating it from time to time. Because it's important to your company's reputation: over 50% of buyers report that they first turn to social media to get brand awareness. Therefore, the presence on Instagram today is essential for any company.

Instagram vs Website

Until quite recently, any company needed an internet site to have a presence in the virtual space. The truth is that developing a quality website, designing, hosting, and buying a domain costs a lot of money. If you have a start-up, this can be a serious expense that you have to recoup in the future. Particularly expensive are the sites for companies that have a lot of products and need to place a whole catalog, constantly update prices and also indicate which of the products are in stock. In addition, developers usually spend 2 to 6 months before your site goes live.

But the good news is that Insta today acts as a full-fledged virtual showcase for many organizations and entrepreneurs. You can register an account and convert it to a business one literally within 5 minutes from your smartphone. You don’t have to be a computer genius and know the basics of programming. And best of all, it's completely free! In addition, many useful services have been developed that allow you to automate customer correspondence and order processing. Let's take a closer look at how to sell on Instagram without a website using the Bigbangram automated tools.

How to design a selling page

Surely you understand how to create an Instagram page. But it is also crucial to constantly fill your feed with high-quality visual content. Make sure that the images of your products are of very good quality. It is ideal to invite a professional photographer or rent a studio with good lighting and equipment where you can take beautiful photos. So your clients will have a good impression. After all, if people cannot touch the thing with their hands, their eyes are the only thing they can rely on.

An attractive page consists of a bright, eye-catching avatar and a selling profile description. Both components are equally significant, so pay special attention to the design. The appearance of the profile will help you retain users and successfully trade on this social network.

The correct avatar is a bright contrast image. Take a photo that reflects the positioning of the brand. To do this, use the colors of the brand, the logo or its attributes – as well as a photo that can be associated with the trademark.

Write all your contacts: Viber, Telegram, WhatsApp, phone number. Allow clients to contact you in a  convenient way. If you are targeting an audience of several countries, be sure to add the opportunity to order via direct or messengers.  Enter the keyword in the store name. Users often search for the product they need through keyword searches. Don't miss out on a free promotion.

Make a content plan at least one month in advance and prepare publications so that they are in the same style. Like in these pictures below.

Once you have a content plan in place, you can set aside a few hours to prepare your posts and set posting times ahead of time. To do this, use the Bigbangram planner for scheduled posts on Instagram. You can also read about social media calendar in our blog.

Here is a step-by-step guide:

1. Upload a photo for your post and add a text description.

2. Add geolocation and select hashtags automatically.

3. Set a date and save the post.

By scheduling posts once a few weeks in advance, you don't have to worry about forgetting to post. The service will automatically do this for you at the specified time at any time of the day, even at night or on weekends. This is especially handy if you live in different time zones with your clients.

Be sure to choose hashtags for your posts, even if you have paid targeted ads. Hashtags increase your reach and help people find you faster in their feed. Read about TOP-5 hashtags generators in our blog.

Automated personalized DM marketing

Timely processed direct requests can increase sales of your product or service. Many business profile holders lose customers due to the inability to correctly respond to messages.

The main difficulties of conducting DM correspondence are :

• the question does not always make it clear what the client wants;
• write for a very long time, so many prefer to express their thoughts through voice recordings and videos;
• lots of similar questions, no time to answer them all.

You can utilize a Bingbangram bot to manage your direct messages on Instagram. Following a few recommendations will help bring communication with your target clientele to a new level, attract the number of interested subscribers and boost sales. With help of the service, you may group your consumers and easily communicate with them using your PC.

1. Time. It is best if you react to messages within an hour. Nobody likes to wait. Keep in mind that the client can write not only to you, but also to your competitors. The customer will prefer the one who reacts faster. If you still managed to start a dialogue, but you do not have the opportunity to constantly respond, do not put off the client for later, so that he does not have the feeling that he was forgotten. Give the initiative to the interlocutor, or write that you will give an answer after a while. Organize clients in groups not to miss orders. In Bigbangram the boards look simple and are easy to manage.

2. Automation. In order to respond to clients in a timely manner and accept requests, you can develop an Instagram chatbot The bot will talk about the company, answer frequently asked questions, advise and automate sales. However, it is impossible to foresee all situations that may arise in a chatbot scenario, so it is important to add an operator connection button. A carefully thought-out virtual assistant will relieve the burden on the support team, speed up the communication process at times, and, if necessary, help the client switch the dialogue to the manager. Another way to simplify the process of interacting with customers is to use quick responses, which you will read about below. 

3. Templates (or quick answers on Instagram). Creating templates for quick answers to the most asked questions will speed up the process of processing comments and messages in DMs. The presence of scripts will save you from having to constantly print the same thing. When is a template needed?

• information about payment for the order;
• price list of the most requested services;
• general recommendations for the client regarding services;
• contact details for feedback.

You can set quick replies in the profile settings or use Bigbangram messenger for Instagram. To answer questions in the comprehensive way, prepare answers to frequently asked questions in graphic form. Simplify the information perception for a reader – use capital letters, a clear price list, a list of all services, finished works, examples, reviews. All this can be done with the video, pictures, and text on one or several small landing pages that can be created for free in our service. Try to make a portfolio or testimonials right now.

Be flexible. Scripts will help you out in some situations, but you can't rely on them completely. They need to be customized for each client. Everyone, without exception, loves a personal address, so try to at least add a reference to the client by name. You should not mindlessly copy-paste your own and other people's templates. Learn from experience. Analyze which scripts give a positive result, and which scare away the client.

A well-formulated question shifts the responsibility for making a decision to the client, he will be forced to give a specific answer. This may be permission to write. If you get an “I'll think about it” response or something like that, don't take it as a rejection. Offer to leave your contact number in case the customer changes their mind, or give them a better offer.

Communication principles that lead to sales

For productive communication with subscribers of an online store in social networks, a certain strategy is needed. If you build it correctly, it will help to retain the client and smoothly lead to a purchase. Every detail matters: tone, speed of response, friendliness, calm decision-making, and so on.

We recommend following these principles:

• Attention and care. Try not to ignore any question, comment or review, even if it contains outright criticism. Address subscribers personally, quickly respond to comments, work out objections.
• Strive to live up to expectations. Most subscribers expect a quick response to their questions. On average, they wait no more than 4 hours for a response, after which they most likely go to competitors. In addition to prompt response, active participation in solving the problem is necessary. Messages without specifics, in which the manager beats around the bush, cause irritation.
• Tact and kindness. Avoid strict officialdom. Smile at the client through the screen of a computer or phone. Write politely and respectfully. It encourages pleasant conversation.
• No sales in the “forehead”. Don't be overly pushy. First, try to help the client, offer an effective solution to the issue with the help of your product. The main thing is to instill confidence. This can be done through useful expert advice and clarifying questions that will allow you to better understand the needs of the buyer.
• Proactive action. Do not force subscribers to search for information on their own or pull it out with a vise. Communicate details that will help make a purchase decision in advance. Tell us about the characteristics, equipment, specify the availability of goods in stock, terms of delivery, and payment. Immediately specify the cost, preferably in a post or story with a presentation. Avoid this phrase “to find out the price, DM us.” Using it, retailers lose targeted subscribers.

There is a great number of different people on the Internet, often there are emotional personalities who can provoke a scandal. In any situation, you must remain polite and maintain a friendly tone. If an employee responds with rudeness to rudeness, such communication will affect the company's reputation.

Conclusion

The quality of visual content is of the essence. An account is a showcase that grabs attention and highlights the benefits of a trade good. For successful sales, you need high-quality beautiful pictures. Before starting great sales, fill the commercial page with quality pictures and texts, set targeted ads (maybe hire a professional for right settings), and try to create a strong subscriber base. Immediately after registration, orders will not fall. Mass sales will go only in a couple of months, provided that the account is properly prepared.

Post interesting engaging content with triggers communicate with subscribers, exchange opinions. First, Instagram is a social network. Communication comes to the fore here. And the last important nuance is the constant work to attract a new audience. Do not save on advertising and combine different promotion methods, including free ones. Properly maintaining an Instagram profile provides many opportunities for business development.