We’ve grown up with repetition. Sometimes it’s good; sometimes, not so much.
Case in point: The mere mention of the latest animated movie sends children into a blissful tizzy, unabashedly regaling anyone within ear shot with the movie’s theme songs over and over again. And yet, no matter how perpetually proud we are as parents and guardians, hearing those scores belted out in less-than-perfect pitch for the umpteenth time Just. Makes. Us. Cringe.
Turn on the radio or the television, and we’re often assaulted with the same songs and commercials until we can’t take it anymore. All things considered, it’s no wonder we associate “repetition” with negativity.
But repeating things can be advantageous. When it comes to social media, we have only to utter the word “viral” before understanding just how repetition can take a previously unknown element and make it a household word.
Decades before “viral” (or “social media,” for that matter) meant anything to the masses, brands were already making their mark with repetitive strategies.
While technology and consumers’ expectations have arguably changed over the years, your message doesn’t need to be complicated or over-produced – just memorable.
As much as we hate to admit it, not everything we post is seen by everyone. Not now, and perhaps not ever.
Given times of day, variances in traffic and usage, and even individual attention spans, things get missed. Sales, promotions and invaluable content of all kinds are lost on the eyes of those who just happened to be looking somewhere else at the time it was published.
We endeavor to create the next, the new, and the latest. But, there are lessons to be learned – and fans to be earned – from repeating the previous, the earlier mention, and that which rocked our stats in the past.
Gather a list of messages and posts that were successful in the past, and consider the following about their performance:
- Are people still talking about them now?
- Could they have been more successful and/or garnered more attention?
- Can they be tweaked so they’re relevant for a present day message – with twice the impact because now they’re “familiar”?
- How often or frequently can they be repeated for maximum effectiveness?
- Can variations be made on the message to increase its relevance?
We’re not suggesting for an instant that you just re-hash the same old content over and over. What we are suggesting is that when something works, you work it more than once. No need to completely reinvent the wheel… just give it a slightly different spin.
It goes without saying (but, in the spirit of things, we’re happy to repeat it again), repetition must be thoughtfully planned and purposefully employed to be effective. Consider the where, why, how and when of the message, and then construct a schedule for the repeats so they’re meaningful.
We recently heard about a small deli that used to field dozens of phone calls each day from people just wanting to know what the soup of the day was. The deli finally decided to include their soup of the day – the day before it was to be featured – in their social media posts. Not only did this decision solve a host of issues related to phone traffic, but sales actually increased because people began planning ahead and organizing lunch dates, etc., around the availability of their favorite soups.
In addition, the deli also received considerable feedback about their soups via social media comments. The kudos and recommendations provided by customers also increased their social media traffic (and thus, their reach) because people were having conversations about their experiences at the deli. By making one small change for the benefit of their customers, the deli benefited significantly.
Not complicated. Just memorable.
If your company offers something specific every Tuesday (i.e., “Taco Tuesday”), or the third Wednesday of every month (i.e., “Good things come in 3’s: Buy Two, Get A Third Free!”), don’t just assume your customers will remember. Remind them – creatively and repeatedly.
- Consider the best times to post the reminders, and then craft the messages to fit.
- Got a coupon or VIP Card to sweeten the deal? Put it out there!
- Add easily sharable graphics to your message so customers can spread the word for you.
- Include colorful photos to attract even more attention; relevant visuals will always strengthen your message!
- Work reminders and repeats in among other, unrelated content.
- Post the repeats at different times of day so they attract wider audiences.
- Use different language, but keep some consistency in key words, for example, so the message is memorable. For example:
Wednesday post: “Yesterday’s Taco Tuesday was a hit! We can hardly wait ‘til next week!”
Friday post: “We’re already dreaming up new toppings for next week’s Taco Tuesday!”
Monday post: “’To Taco, or not to Taco,’ is never a question on Taco Tuesday! See you tomorrow!”
Social media provides endless opportunities to “sell” to your customers. All you have to do is provide the opportunities for them.
If you have information worth repeating to your customers (and we know you do!), we can help craft messages that stick!
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