LinkedIn Posting – Are You Sending the Wrong Message?

It is a common sight these days on LinkedIn. A micro market operator proudly posts a photo of their newly installed micro market. Typically, there is little reaction. If the purpose of posting on LinkedIn is to generate engagement, it is hard not to question the effectiveness of this content strategy.

Not only is posting a micro market photo generally ineffective, that action can send the wrong message. A micro market that features bottling company coolers, complete with Bottler logos, along with cheap wire shelving and a lack of branding continuity tells the viewer – “This company doesn’t invest too much in their micro markets and lacks a brand and creativity.”  We see this on LinkedIn every day.

Are you leading with the solution?

You installed a micro market. Big deal. By now, everybody has seen them and knows what they are. This is called “leading with the solution.” Your prospects already know about the solution. They just do not understand why they need a micro market – particularly from your company.

Will boasting and posting about a “ho-hum” micro market installation motivate a prospect to pick up the phone and call you? Unlikely.

Focus on the journey

Instead, focus on the journey that moved a client or prospect to the ultimate convenience services solution - your micro market program.

Example – Post about what was in place before your micro market and why the client ultimately needed to convert from vending or a deficient micro market, to your solution. How did your market specifically meet the client’s needs?

Focus on Design

Operators who rely on Fixturelite for their micro markets, have plenty of positive “solution journeys” to post about.  “We specialize in solving problems for operators and their clients and often, the Fixturelite Design Tool is the vehicle that helps a client along on that journey to a solution,” said Steve Orlando, Co-Founder of Fixturelite, the leading supplier of micro market retail displays, equipment and design tools.

Orlando notes that many reasons make design the most important component on the path to satisfying a client’s needs. Those reasons include:

·Traffic flow – For social distancing and efficiency

·Corporate Culture – Designing to connect with a company’s vibe

·The customer experience – Creating a true retail environment

These topics are something to post about on LinkedIn – something that might resonate with a prospect who has never considered the possibilities.

Focus on defining features

There are so many key features that can define the quality of a micro market. Each of these features are elements on the roadmap to that ultimate client solution. Fixturelite’s thoughtful approach to the unattended retail experience is worth posting about (you can take the credit) as you employ quality content to connect and engage on LinkedIn.

Operators who choose Fixturelite have so many compelling topics to post about.

Point to the Collections

Post about why you selected a specific Fixturelite Collection for a client. How did that solve a specific client need? How did the lighting, branding options, shelving and other classic retail components create a shopping experience that the client is raving about?

The Essentials Collection – “Friendly and Fits Right In”

The Performance Collection – “Stylish and Welcoming”

The Executive Collection – “Majestic and Elegant”

For engagement – take an “off the wall” approach

Another micro market feature that is post worthy, a feature that Fixturelite customers are increasingly selecting to create a true retail experience, is the new “Off the Wall” Collection.

The Sled and the Flex Cabinet in the Off The Wall Collection allow micro markets to take on a spacious feeling by bringing key fixtures into the center of the room.

For an end user who has never even imagined this type of innovative retail thinking, posting about your company’s use of the “Off the Wall” Collection will gain some attention.

“Why don’t I have that?”

Reliability is critical when it comes to micro market refrigeration. While a picture cannot speak to the reliability of your coolers, it can say a lot about style. As Orlando points out, Minus Forty’s refrigeration products are both incredibly reliable and very stylish. “From a design standpoint, Minus Forty products are impressive,” he said. “When an operator selects Minus Forty products, it sends a message that quality is a priority.”

Minus Forty coolers are something to write about in a LinkedIn post because it will get your prospects to start asking – “Why don’t I have that?”

Post with a plan

The next time you post, have a plan and an objective. If you are currently working with Fixturelite, you already know what it feels like to have a competitive advantage. You already enjoy plenty of quality content that will excite your prospects and may compel them to take your call. You are already seen as an innovator and a thought leader.

If you are not currently working with Fixturelite, ask yourself an important question. When I celebrate my micro markets on LinkedIn, what message am I sending? Is it a message that will lead to engagement or new business opportunity, or am I really showing potential customers how my micro markets don’t stand up to those of my competition?

Get a competitive edge with Fixturelite – Learn More

Industry consultant Bob Tullio (www.tullioB2B.com) is a content specialist who advises operators in the convenience services industry on how to build a successful business from the ground up. In July, Tullio launched a You Tube Channel, b2b Perspective, designed to “elevate your business in 2 minutes” and is currently developing an online course, “Leverage the power of LinkedIn to grow your business.”

As he is a recognized industry expert in business development and sales, NAMA hired him to write and narrate the new online course, “Selling Convenience Services,” which is now available. Use discount code B2B10 for an instant discount and for free access to upcoming Q & A Webinars from Tullio in the coming months. Here is a free sample of the course.