With micro/macro influencers on the rise, many people are ditching their day jobs to pursue an at-home career of social selling. Don’t mistake this for the saturated MLM’s that message you in your DM’s.
What is "Social Selling"?
“Social Selling” is when one utilizes social media platforms to make a profit. Often mistaken or misrepresented by MLM’s, social selling doesn’t necessarily require you to purchase a product. Whether you have 400 followers or 10k, a profit can still be achieved.
Here’s how it works:
Let’s say you order something on Amazon, and you LOOOOVE it. You’re going to tell your friends, your parents, your coworkers, your significant other, etc. how much you love it, or how they need it – then they’re going to order it.
You can order a commission just by simply sharing a link! Even better – when you share a link & they purchase something else, you get money for that too!!
Just from sharing one graphic of the same products I use on my hair daily – this was my commission from one simple order.
The Do's and Don'ts of Social Selling
DO:
+ share products you actually use
+ be consistent
+ reshare posted links
(new followers may not have seen your links & old followers may become interested)
+ utilize Pinterest
(most of my traffic has come from pinterest)
+ share how you use products
DON’T:
+ get caught up in MLM schemes
+ cold message people!!!
(if people want your links, they will reach out)
+ share products you don’t stand by
+ share products you don’t use
+ be “salesy”
MLM's versus Social Selling
MLM’s (aka Multi-level marketing) companies are often associated with pyramid schemes (itWorks, Monat, etc.) where you have an “upline” who benefits off of what you sell.
Social Selling on the other hand gives you full control & there’s no one above you.
You are your own boss.
Not all MLM’s are a bad idea (despite the stigma behind them) – that is if you truly love the products AND use them on a daily basis.
I’ve been affiliated with a few in the past, and let’s just say it wasn’t for me.
With Social Selling, your effort determines your profit.
Don’t feel like posting today? You don’t have to.
While your insights may suffer from a lack of consistency, this isn’t something to stress unless you’ve quit your day job to pursue it as a career full time.
How to Socially Sell -
Let’s be honest, we all hate those “DM me for collab” comments/DM’s that appear on our posts. NO ONE cares about a stranger reaching out to get you to buy one of their products. Personally, I report & block every single one of these messages. Instead of cold messaging and irritating the snot out of people, share your recipes. Share your failures. Share the way you use your products, what made you get started, what you love about your products.
Join an influencer platform.
Take RewardStyle or ShopStyle for example. These two platforms are two of the most common commission based platforms on the market. Having access to RewardStyle gives you exclusive rights and access to the app Liketoknow.it. Amazon also has two platforms you can earn from! Whether you’re an Amazon Associate or have access to an Amazon Storefront, these platforms are key for monetizing your social media. You’re able to create commissionable links with the click of a button.
By joining one of these platforms – which I might add Brands LOVE – you’ll be able to get paid sponsorships (called “campaigns”), free products, additional bonuses, and of course that money back.
Be yourself.
The biggest tip I can give you when you’re socially selling is to be yourself. Originality is going to drive your followers to your page – so don’t just saturate with links & posts about products. Share your life. Struggling? Share it! Thriving? Share it! Bought something that was a FAIL? SHARE IT!
Do your research.
Pick the platforms that best suit your needs. I love using Pinterest. Pinterest is a platform that never dies and has millions of users daily! Instagram & Facebook are also great platforms to use when targeting your known audience. Have a blog? Write a post about your favorite products and link the posts to your socials! Depending on what “niche” you choose, some platforms may work better than others. RewardStyle is a great product linking platform to use when sharing.
Join platform-based Facebook groups.
This is totally OPTIONAL – however I found that joining platform-based Facebook groups was super helpful when it came to monetizing my social media. People are always sharing tips and tricks, collaboration email examples, pay structures, brand pitches, and more.
Read reviews, research products, and know what you’re selling.
here’s some examples of posts I’ve made that have produced income:
My favorite hair care products from L’ange Hair. Follow me on Instagram or click the photo for the direct link to the products!
The supplements that I take on the daily. You can purchase these at Target if you want to try them – or if you fall in love, grab a subscription box and save $ monthly.
To you this looks like a normal picture – but really I’ve got my favorite leggings, shoes, and sunnies linked.
Start sharing your favorite used products and earn that extra cash money!!
