How To Use Instagram Reels To Close More Sales Deals!

Yesterday, on August 5th, 2020, Instagram released a new feature called 'Instagram Reels'. It appears that the social media giant is aiming to provide younger users with more creative features that have, until now, been extremely popular on TikTok. 

Nearly all of TikTok's users fall between the ages of 16 and 34. Despite quickly growing its user base to over 800,000 active users, due to TikTok's age demographic, it's not been a good channel for business-related content creators or professionals.

Instagram is a very powerful tool for marketers, business owners and sales people who are savvy enough to establish a brand, create content and grow an audience. I've personally leveraged Instagram to build an engaged following and have certainly profited from my efforts.

At first glance, 'Instagram Reels' appears to provide a few of the creative functions that, until today, have only been found within TikTok. IG Reels can be found within the normal 'Instagram Stories' tool by swiping through the menu options near the bottom of the screen on your phone.

IG Reels gives the user the ability to segment their video recording, manipulate the speed of the video (fast forward, slow-mo...etc), add effects, control timing elements and even add popular music from Instagram's massive library of content. Users with creative proclivities are now able to curate truly unique video content for Instagram's older demographic user base.

But, what does Instagram and TikTok have to do with sales?!

Back in 2016, I was working on closing a 7-figure contract with wireless communications provider, Sprint. As you can imagine, there were dozens of decision makers and even more influencers to follow up with. Throughout the 2-year sales cycle, I relied heavily on my creativity to follow-up with and stay 'top of mind' with hundreds of employees, managers and C-suite executives. I provide a full library of these unique and extremely effective follow-up strategies here.

I believe that follow-up should consist of 75% entertainment and 25% business. This means that your sales-related follow-up efforts should provide your prospects with value in the form of entertainment: memes, videos, articles, blogs, links...etc. Using this approach to follow up with prospects almost entirely eliminates the need to reference the deal you're trying to follow up about and replaces the valueless 'just checking in' messages with real entertainment and education.

Now that you understand that, let's get back to Instagram Reels and TikTok...

At one point in 2016, Sprint created their own Snapchat filter to promote their service using the 'Can you hear that?' tagline from a new marketing campaign featuring 'Paul', the glasses-adorned frontman who previously was the face of Verizon Wireless's 'Can you hear me now?' ad campaign. I immediately recognized the opportunity to create highly-personalized follow-up content tailored specifically to the executives I was connected with at Sprint. Here's an example.

The point is: salespeople need to learn how to think outside the box. Of course, tools like Instagram Reels weren't probably designed or created for salespeople to follow up with prospects. However, that doesn't mean they can't be used to close deals.

Here's how I use tools like Instagram Reels to follow up with clients:

Step 1: Record a video (can't think of what to say? Try telling your client that you were simply thinking about them and that you hope they are having a great day!)

Step 2: Save and download the video file directly to your camera roll.

Step 3: Attach the video to a text message or an email to your prospect.

It's really that simple. The point here is not to create and send a brilliant blockbuster hit movie to your prospect. The point is to differentiate yourself from any other salesperson you are competing with and to establish a relationship with your prospect. Standing out from 'the crowd' is as easy as doing the things you know other people aren't doing.

If you aren't feeling creative or can't think of any fun, effective or value-driven follow up approaches, no problem! Stupar Sales Academy has an entire library of follow-up ideas, strategies and proven methods that I've used to close well over $10,000,000+ of sales with. In fact, I'll give you one of my favorites right now, for free.