The retail landscape in our country is changing on a daily basis. More states are going to stay at home orders, and the uncertainty is great. We understand this is a challenging time for you as a business owner. We are also seeing many stores continue to sell in outside-the-box ways — especially online.

• Stores are using their websites to continue to sell products.
• Many stores are taking advantage of Facebook to drive sales.
• Some are doing drive-up service and hosting online reading parties to stay in touch with their customers.

5 Ways to Get Your Posts SEEN on Facebook —

Without Paying for Promoted Posts

• Post at times with less competition. Try later in the evening or early in the morning, or when your target audience is likely to use Facebook.
• Limit hashtags within the description.
• Don’t tag/link other Facebook accounts in the post copy.
• Include a call to action (CTA) within the description. Examples of good CTAs include: Buy it Now, Shop Now, Share this with a friend, Comment below, Like this post, and Follow our page.
• If you have an Instagram account for your business, post on Instagram first, then share it via Instagram to your FB page.

8 Facebook Post Ideas to Implement Now

• Host a Live Sale.  You can do this using the camera on your phone, or on your laptop. Google “live online apparel sale” for examples. Choose 5-10 T-shirt styles, write up a tally of which sizes you have available, then feature and describe one design at a time. Think of this as Home Shopping Network for your store. And if your first attempt is a little silly — that’s okay! Just do your best. Ask customers to claim their item by Design Name and Size in the comments, and have a helper keep track of sales as you go. When an item is sold, let the audience know. Promote an event of this nature for a few days beforehand on FB and in email, and ask your customers to invite friends.
• Create Shoppable Posts.  This article gives step-by-step instructions for creating shoppable social posts on Instagram and Facebook. If this information is overwhelming, go old school. Create a simple post with either one apparel design, or perhaps items that follow a specific theme, and offer them for sale. Ask your audience to claim item(s) they would like, then discuss payment details through private messaging. Collect payment info over the phone, and either arrange for curbside pickup or shipping.
• Offer Personal Shopping Services.  People still have birthdays, anniversaries, new babies, and other occasions to shop for, and Easter is right around the corner. Let customers know if they message you or call the store with details about the person they are buying for, you are happy to help them select a gift from your shop, accept payment over the phone, and arrange for shipping or curbside pickup.
• Record Product Review Videos.  Don’t be shy! Right now, people are craving human connection, and a brief video of you discussing and reviewing current products is a great way to connect with your customers. Use your phone or laptop, and just be yourself. End with instructions on how shoppers can buy the product.
• Read Aloud.  Read a selected passage from a popular book you sell. Read a children’s book. Read an entire book from the Bible. Promote the event beforehand, make the recording available afterward, and include information in the post and video about how shoppers can buy the book, or other books like it, from your store.
• Remind Shoppers You Are Open.  Customers who are not at a heightened risk of infection are still shopping, and if your store is an option, let them know! Post your store hours, and include a list of other options (shipping, curbside pickup, local delivery). Let customers know what you are doing to minimize the risk, including sanitizing door handles and frequently touched displays more often, requiring staff to wash hands more often, ensuring staff members stay home if they don’t feel well.
• Build and Sell Easter Baskets.  Offer them at a variety of price points to meet customers’ needs and budgets. Take pictures of the items bundled in a cute basket or gift box, as well as lined up separately on a flat surface. This same idea can be used to build and sell Boredom Buster packages for families with kids, too.
• Publish Product-Based Content Posts.  This one is so easy to do — and a great way to bless your audience with encouraging content, while promoting products.

5 Steps to an Inspirational Product Post

1. Visit wholesale.kerusso.com.
2. Explore the T-Shirt Collection; Click on a T-shirt you carry.
3. Right click on one or more product images, then paste image(s) into a new Facebook post.
4. Use a portion of the descriptive copy from the product page as your post copy, or write your own. It’s useful to look up and include the Bible verse as well. Simply do a Google search for the verse reference on the shirt, then copy and paste the verse into your post. Include the Retail Price of the T-shirt in your store, and Available Sizes. Include a Call to Action, such as Shop the Look, Buy This Shirt, and Shop Now.
5. PUBLISH or SCHEDULE your post.

If you don’t consider yourself a techie, we encourage you to toss those nerves aside and embrace the sales potential of Facebook for your business. The best way to do this is simply to START — and rest assured, doing anything at all is better than doing nothing. Many of your customers are stuck at home, spending more time online than ever. Meet them there, and sell them products that are fun, interesting, useful, and encouraging. Give them an opportunity to shop with you, and many of them will respond positively!