Thursday Press #85: stop ignoring this part of your audience

[15 JUN 2023] How Pinterest can help you build a referrable business

Are going-out tops really a thing of the past?

You know, when you'd ask your friends "hey what are you wearing tonight?" and inevitably everyone would respond: "jeans and a nice top"

Apparently this is very millennial of me, and the Gen Z version is fun pants and a tank top

(My summer wardrobe is 90% fun pants and ribbed tanks from Target, so I guess I can confirm?)

Whatever you call it, the impulse to crowdsource your outfit is strong.

Just last night, I texted my friends "are we poncho-ing it tonight?" in advance of the Noah Kahan concert.

As humans, we're naturally social people, and we trust our friends' recommendations implicitly.

Which means that when it comes to service-based businesses, social proof is everything and referrals can be an incredibly valuable client source.

Most business owners tend to be pretty dialed in to their ideal client.

Heck, I spent last week's email talking all about how important it is to know who they are and what they want to hear.

But what about the people who aren't your ideal client?

Whether they don't need your services, aren't the right fit, or whatever other reason, these people in your community can still be incredibly helpful, and it's important that you don't ignore them.

So let's talk about the importance of building a referrable business (and how Pinterest can help you with that)

BELOW THE FOLD

We all know that person who seems to have the best recommendations for everything.

Need an accountant? Here's theirs.

Looking for a website template? They've got recs (and a discount code).

Choosing your next beach read? Hope you've got room on your bookshelf!

I'm way more likely to make a business investment because one of my friends or someone I look up to in the online space tells me I can trust it.

That's just how our brains work.

So as a service provider, how do you become one of those go-to recommendations?

You can either a) rely only on past/current clients to refer you or

b) Build a content marketing strategy that welcomes a wide community of loyal fans & makes you the go-to person in your industry

^^ding ding ding, that's the winner!

I'll be honest with you bestie, I've never been a fan of traditional networking…

Making awkward small talk in a room of people you don't know? Not my scene

But sharing valuable information about Pinterest marketing on IG and connecting with people in the DMs on everything from Pinterest to the best cat toys and Netflix documentaries? Hell freakin' yeah!

Is every single one of these people my "ideal client"?

Nope.

But I'm still going to network with them.

Because you never know who somebody knows. And by being a kind, helpful human, you're cementing yourself as the person for your role if they ever get asked for a recommendation.

Here's the thing though... what if you don't like social media? Or what if you feel like you're ~networking~ with the same people all the time?

That's where Pinterest can come in.

With over 400 million monthly users AND an algorithm that isn't dependent on who you're following/who follows you, the potential to reach NEW audiences is practically limitless!

Most Pinterest users turn to the platform when they're actively in need of something.

It probably won't be to hire right away, in fact, they're usually several steps ahead of being ready to hire.

But that means that if you can be there, on Pinterest, providing them with useful information early in their journey, when the time does come for them to hire, you're going to be number one in their mind.

(Or number one in mind to refer you, whatever the case may be.)

What I really want you to take away from this little chat is that you never know which connections might turn into business and life-altering opportunities

So don't be afraid to look beyond your strict ideal client avatar

And don't forget to widen your audience with multiple marketing platforms, including Pinterest

Since we're on the topic of recommendations and trust-worthiness, I figured I'd share a list of some of my favorite business tools that keep me going day-to-day!

9 Tools I Couldn't Run My Business Without

I'm currently in a post-concert haze after last night's Noah Kahan show (dare I say Kahan-cert?) and will need a few business days to recover…

What can I say, I really just like music that rips my heart out, stomps it into the ground, name-drops Zoloft, and sets it all to a dance-y banjo riff

Musical preferences aside, I hope this email reminds you that every little bit matters.

Every new person you meet (in person or virtually) has the potential to change your life. And that's pretty dang special. 🫶