13 Leveraging Social Media and Digital Marketing to Support Sales Efforts
Discover how to harness the power of social media and digital marketing to boost your sales efforts. This comprehensive guide offers practical strategies from industry experts on leveraging platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. Learn how to create engaging content, build trust, and uncover new sales opportunities in the digital landscape.
- Leverage Short-Form Video for Transparent Bookings
- Educate on LinkedIn to Build Trust
- Target Users with Timely Trade-In Offers
- Combine Instagram Visuals with Email Automation
- Use Social Listening to Uncover Sales Opportunities
- Create Educational Content to Nurture Relationships
- Utilize Personal Branding for Sales Positioning
- Share Authentic Video Walkthroughs on Facebook
- Post Problem-Solving Videos on Facebook Marketplace
- Showcase Real Work in LinkedIn Featured Section
- Engage in Local Facebook Groups
- Optimize Google My Business for Direct Calls
- Share Instagram Stories of Real Estate Solutions
Leverage Short-Form Video for Transparent Bookings
One Instagram Story drove 7 airport bookings in under 24 hours—just because I posted a video showing what the 'Meet & Greet' experience looks like.
At Mexico-City-Private-Driver.com, social media isn't just about building awareness—it's about building trust before someone even clicks "Book." I've learned that potential clients—especially international travelers—don't just want to know the price; they want to know exactly what will happen the moment they land in Mexico City. That's why I doubled down on short-form video on Instagram and TikTok.
One strategy I highly recommend is what I call "Searchable Trust Content." It's the mix of SEO-optimized blog posts (for Google) paired with authentic, unfiltered Instagram Stories (for social proof). On our Instagram Highlights, we show things like: how we track flights in real-time, what the driver uniform looks like, and how we handle luggage for large families or executives. These small details calm nerves—and convert visitors.
On top of that, every post is mapped to a booking funnel: Instagram Story > Link-in-Bio > WhatsApp Chat > Confirmed Sale. I track every DM and learned that our highest-converting content is never flashy—it's human, clear, and real.
By combining transparency, logistics content, and warmth, we turned what used to be a commodity (a driver) into something people are excited to book weeks in advance.
Educate on LinkedIn to Build Trust
LinkedIn has been my secret weapon for direct primary care growth, but not in the way most people use it. Instead of posting generic healthcare content, I share behind-the-scenes stories of patient transformations—always with permission and anonymized. My most successful post showed a patient's lab results before and after six months of DPC care: dramatic improvements in diabetes markers without adding medications.
The strategy? Lead with outcomes, not services. I recommend the "education-first" approach: teach people about healthcare pricing transparency, insurance limitations, and preventive care benefits before ever mentioning your practice. This builds trust and positions you as an educator, not a salesperson.
LinkedIn's professional audience appreciates data-driven content and authentic stories. When you consistently share valuable health insights, referrals happen naturally. That's how care is brought back to patients.
Target Users with Timely Trade-In Offers
We use social media and digital channels to drive action, not just awareness. Paid campaigns on Instagram and TikTok allow us to reach users when they're already thinking about their devices. We target by behavior, not just demographics. Someone searching for upgrade deals or comparing phones will see our trade-in option in real time. That context makes the difference. Our creative is direct: "Cash for your old phone. No haggling. Instant payment." It tells them what they need to know, quickly.
One strategy I recommend is building automation into your lead funnel. For example, we use geofencing to direct foot traffic to our kiosks. If someone is near a mall or retailer with one of our machines, they'll see a localized ad with directions and a value estimate for their phone. We also retarget them later with reminders. This keeps the sales cycle tight. You meet people where they are, then give them a reason to act. Sales and marketing work best when they're not treated as separate silos. Keep testing formats and platforms, but only retain what shows movement. That's how we tie digital to real sales.
Combine Instagram Visuals with Email Automation
I leverage social media and digital marketing not just to showcase artwork but to build a consistent and emotionally resonant brand presence.
One strategy I highly recommend is combining Instagram content with Klaviyo email automation. Instagram is visual-first, making it perfect for sharing behind-the-scenes moments, process videos, and finished pieces - each acting like a mini ad that builds interest.
But the real magic happens when that interest is funneled into an email list using lead magnets like art style quizzes or exclusive discounts.
With Klaviyo, I segment subscribers based on behavior, what art they clicked on, what collections they viewed, and send personalized campaigns that mirror their preferences.
This helps convert casual fans into collectors. The key is using social media to tell the story and email to close the loop.
It's not about shouting louder; it's about connecting smarter.
Use Social Listening to Uncover Sales Opportunities
One of the most effective strategies I recommend is social listening—it helps uncover potential leads, partnerships, and buying signals by tracking how people talk about products in your industry.
By monitoring branded hashtags, competitor names, or relevant keywords across platforms like X (Twitter), Threads, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, you can discover real-time conversations and trends. This not only helps identify what matters to your audience but also where your competitors are gaining attention.
To do this effectively, use a tool like EmbedSocial, which integrates with major social networks and enables you to track and collect user-generated content that mentions your brand or relevant keywords. From there, you can:
- Engage directly with users who are already interested
- Enrich the data (e.g., find emails or profiles)
- Launch personalized outbound campaigns based on intent
This turns passive monitoring into an active sales workflow.
Create Educational Content to Nurture Relationships
People expect to use social media and make sales right away, but I personally think that's not ideal. People don't log on to LinkedIn or Instagram to be sold to, but they show up to learn, laugh, or connect.
Instead of hard selling, I focus on creating content that educates or solves small problems our audience actually faces. That builds trust over time and communication.
I use a short, insightful post to share a behind-the-scenes insight, a client result, or a pain point we've helped solve. My content varies from infographics, raw footage, or even short animations. And my go-to platform is TikTok, simply because it's the ideal platform for my target audience.
And yes, I end my content with a casual invite to chat. Over time, those conversations lead to relationships, and those relationships drive sales. It's not always instant, but it's repeatable and scalable.
Utilize Personal Branding for Sales Positioning
Social and digital aren't just for awareness anymore; they're intel and follow-up fuel for sales.
We use platforms like LinkedIn not just to post, but to test angles, surface objections, and spot buying signals in real time. Comments, DMs, even who's lurking on your posts, it all tells you what's landing and who's leaning in.
Here's a move that works:
When a sales convo stalls, we don't chase with another "just following up" email. We send a relevant post, comment on something they shared, or tag them in a thread that connects to the deal. It's not just polite, it's positioning.
One strategy I recommend:
Build out personal brands, not just the company feed. People buy from people. A strong founder or exec voice on social is worth more than 10 paid ads. It builds trust, creates warm intros, and makes sales follow-up feel like a conversation, not a pitch.
The punchline? Sales doesn't start with the pitch deck. It starts with what someone sees when they Google you or stumble across your post at 11 PM.
Share Authentic Video Walkthroughs on Facebook
One strategy that has really moved the needle for Kitsap Home Pro is posting short, authentic video walkthroughs on my personal Facebook profile—not just our business page. These videos highlight how we solved specific problems for homeowners right here in Kitsap County. By showing these real solutions and giving practical advice, I'm able to spark organic conversations with friends and neighbors, which often leads to referrals or direct introductions. For anyone in sales, I'd recommend leaning into personal storytelling on social media—let your network see the heart behind your work.
Post Problem-Solving Videos on Facebook Marketplace
For my real estate business in Dayton, I've found that posting short, helpful videos on Facebook Marketplace has been a real game-changer—not just traditional posts, but quick clips explaining how we help homeowners in tough situations. This gives local sellers a chance to see and hear from me directly, which really builds trust and leads to honest conversations. My advice: find a platform people in your community actually use every day, and use video to show—not just tell—how you can solve real problems.
Showcase Real Work in LinkedIn Featured Section
For me, LinkedIn has been the most practical and consistent platform for supporting sales. However, I don't use it in the same way most people do—I'm not posting five times a week or trying to game the algorithm. I use it more like a trust builder. Every time I have a meaningful conversation with a prospect or client, I look them up, connect, and ensure my profile accurately reflects the kind of work I actually do. Over time, those passive touches build familiarity. One client mentioned that she saw a post I'd shared about operational bottlenecks in scaling teams, which gave her the nudge to reply to my proposal email. That one post helped close a deal without me realizing it.
One strategy I recommend is using LinkedIn's "Featured" section to showcase real, tangible work, such as slides from a recent project (redacted if necessary), a brief write-up on a key lesson learned, or even a case study. Don't just repost company blogs—make it personal. What did you do? What did you learn? That's what cuts through the noise and builds credibility. In my experience, the people who end up signing deals aren't just buying your service—they're buying your judgment. Use your profile to show it.
Engage in Local Facebook Groups
Absolutely—social media has become a huge driver for my real estate business, especially on Facebook. I use local Facebook Groups to share real stories of clients we've helped sell their homes quickly and offer tips on navigating tricky situations, which builds trust within the community. I'd recommend anyone in sales to pick one platform where your audience gathers and genuinely engage, not just with listings, but with real advice and community involvement. That's what gets real conversations (and deals) started for me.
Optimize Google My Business for Direct Calls
I've found that Google My Business is a hugely underrated tool for real estate sales—it's where local homeowners turn when they need to sell quickly. By encouraging satisfied clients to leave honest reviews and keeping our profile updated with recent projects and FAQs, we show up right when someone searches "sell my house fast in Washington D.C.," leading to direct calls from motivated sellers who already trust our process. It's simple, costs nothing, and puts us in front of people exactly when they need our help.
Share Instagram Stories of Real Estate Solutions
Social media has been a game-changer for my real estate business, especially Instagram. I use it to share before-and-after renovation photos and behind-the-scenes stories, which builds trust and sparks conversations with potential clients. When someone messages me about a property they saw in my stories, it turns into a warm lead—and those personal connections often lead to a sale or referral.
