As the new #3 social network, Pinterest’s growth is meteoric and previously
unheard of. Businesses can’t get there fast enough. But how should they
promote their products and services without offending the calm, grazing
culture of window-shoppers delighting in gorgeous, lush photographs.
It’s a challenge. Here are 5 thoughts to get you off on the right foot.
1. Use Pinterest to Demonstrate Your Authority
Pinterest offers an ideal opportunity to demonstrate your authority
in an area you know well. By breaking up the topic into specific
“boards” you can show what is important to know and illustrate
accordingly. It won’t be long before your point of view becomes obvious
and your expertise respected.
2. Create A Photo Contest Of Customers USING Your Product/Service
Since Pinterest is all visual, it is an ideal platform for a photo
contest. We’ve all heard that before. The best way to use a photo
contest is to have customers (and/or clients) using your product,
happily and creatively! This way you are promoting your product, for
sure, but in a more subtle way. You are also sharing other ideas on how
your product can be enjoyed, and in the best way possible, getting a 3rd
party endorsement. All of which is Marketing 101. This way it’s fun.
Don’t forget to offer a really good prize, though, that fits in with
what your clients would truly appreciate.
3. Think Shopping List
So, if you are a party supply store, you might want to offer a board
for every party theme you offer. Then, within that board, put up
pictures of each thing that the host will need. For example:
invitations, plates and cups, table decor, thematics, games, goodie
bags, etc.
Don’t forget to upload your pictures in reverse order, as Pinterest
doesn’t yet allow us to edit our boards. The photo of the invitations,
therefore, should be the last upload, and the goodie bags (the “lovely
parting gifts”) first.
4. Deploying The Gift Feature To Get Listed Twice
When you add the $ sign into the comments section of your pin, a
snipe (or banner) appears across the top left hand corner with that
price on the photo. So two things to keep in mind here: #1 don’t put any
text on an image you’re going to snipe and #2 once you have put a price
on something, that item shows up in the Gift Section, in addition to
whichever board you pinned it on. Good, eh? You get double the exposure.
5. Research What Your Customers Care About
How well do you know your customer? If you know their names you can look at what they’re up to on Pinterest
and see what they appear to care about. What they love and pin; what
comments they make on their friends’ pins. This tells you important
information about your tribe. It tells you their inner dreams (hopes,
perhaps) and current passions. You are now better able to present your
product or service in a way that either solves a problem or offers a
delicious alternative to something already in play. If you search with a
#, Pinterest will return every pin that has been identified with that
phrase. This is usually a good place to start.