How To Sell Your Products On Social Media – with Emma Peries, Digital Mother

Vicki Weinberg: 00:00:08

Welcome to the, Bring Your Product Ideas To Life podcast, practical advice, and inspiration to help you create and sell your own physical products. Here's your host Vicki Weinberg. Hi, I'm so excited today to introduce Emma Peries to the podcast. Emma is also known as Digital Mother and she helps moms in business learn how to succeed on socials, which he does through providing training. So Emma and I speak a lot about how to sell your products on social media. We covered. which channel is the best for selling your products, how many channels you should be selling on and the kinds of posts you can do to really sell your products. We also speak about the social side of social media and how important engagement is, um, whatever platforms that you choose. So I really hope you're going to find this conversation useful. Um, we go into lots of practical things you can go away and do. Um, and so I'd love now to introduce you to Emma. Say hi, Emma. Thank you so much for being here.

Emma Peries: 00:01:04

Hi, you're welcome is really nice.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:01:07

Thank you. And can you please start by introducing yourself your business and what is you do.

Emma Peries: 00:01:12

Sure. So I'm Emma Peries Digital Mother and I'm a social media trainer. Um, I do do social media management as well, but my real love. Social media training and helping mums in business, get on the right path to success with their social media. Cause I know it's, it's difficult to have the money to outsource when you're, uh, a mumpreneur. Maybe there's probably only one of you in the background. Um, you know, some people have bigger, but just don't have the finances to outsource. So that's where I've found people need my skills to, to train them into know what to do..

Vicki Weinberg: 00:01:46

Perfect thank you. So we are here today to talk about product businesses. So let's start right at the beginning with, um, it was probably quite big question actually. Why does your product's business need to be on social media? Why do we need to be there in the first place? You know, maybe we've got a website. Maybe we sell on Amazon. Why do we need social

Emma Peries: 00:02:03

For me, I guess it's just like anything else. It's a free tool. I mean, why wouldn't you use a free tool? Obviously a free tool comes with something. You need the skills to be able to do it. You need the time to be able to do it, but it's another platform that you've got eyes on. The other great thing about social is your customers are directly in your inbox. Like it's the only place. That you can reach out and actually grab customers, or they can contact you on a one-to-one basis. You know, you can't do that on your website. You can't do that via Amazon. You know, it's such an, it's such a great social tool and engagement tools. So you know, that for me is the biggest thing you can really reach out to people and know exactly what they want or they can reach out to you if they've got any questions, um, about something. And it's, it's just brilliant for that. You know, you can really get into, into people's lives, um, directly.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:03:01

And I guess it's about, it probably gives you more opportunities to share content as well, because there's only so much, you know, you can have on your product listings or on your own website, but with social media, I guess you can respond to things instantly can't, you know, there's something you needs to get out there, or I suppose you can also have a, depending on your brand, you can have a bit more fun perhaps as well, then you might do.

Emma Peries: 00:03:22

Yeah. I think, you know, the websites are still, you know, so, so important. Everybody goes to a website, especially for a, obviously a product based business, um, to look at things, but sometimes there isn't quite the personality or the information there that, that sometimes people need. And, um, You know, some people might just, you know what, I still love to go and feel something when I'm buying something, but none of us do that anymore. So, you know, you might just have a question about, and I'm sure we've all bought something and got the wrong size or, or, you know, something's coming in like, oh, I didn't quite understand that. So actually to have that person there to be like, oh, could you just tell me exactly what size that is or how, you know, why do you use that fabric or, or anything like that? You know, you can really go into detail on socials and using, you know, your, your products behind the scenes and people can get a real feel for who you are. And people buy from people. They don't. We buy something because we like it. What you can give them on social media is, is you and your business and your, um, you know, what, what the essence of your business is and, you know, and people end up following things on social because you're independent, but because they also feel like they know you. So, you know, you can really reach out and feel like we're actually buying from that person. We're going to help that person as well as having someone that we love.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:04:51

Yeah, thank you. It's really nice. What you said about being able to talk to them. I guess I didn't think of it like that is about being able to have conversations, which is, you know, it's not just about posting, is it? It's about actually being able to talk to people.

Emma Peries: 00:05:01

Yeah. And that's the biggest thing for me on social and I think possibly. You know, it's interesting that you said you haven't thought about it. It's, it's the biggest thing that we forget to do, you know, everybody's so consumed about posting and posting at the right time or the right thing or the every day, or, you know, whatever everyone thinks they're supposed to do, but actually. You could sit back and as long as you're engaging with people and you're building relationships with people, and there's a skill in that, like, even if you're behind a phone, some people aren't comfortable with that, but you know, and these things need to be learned. There are tricks, you know, how to engage with people, you know, even how you do it, how you search people, but it's so important. And it's the one thing. People forget to do, and that's proactively go out and start conversations with people.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:05:54

Thank you. That's such great advice already we're not even a few minutes in and that's just, yeah, thank you. That's really been helpful for me even. So there were so many social media channels out there, as we know. Um, and then were new ones are paving all the time. I keep having people telling me I need to be on Tik TOK now, but I'm resisting that. Um, how, you know, how do you know where, which channels you should use? Yes. Um, is it the ones you like using, is it the ones your customers are using? Is it somewhere in between? Um, where do we start?

Emma Peries: 00:06:27

So I think having a love for it is important, but that's not the reason, um, definitely where your audience is. Um, so with, um, people, I actually do like a process to go through, um, of how you would decide. It's a bit like niching in your business. So you wouldn't, or shouldn't decide to sell something to everybody because that doesn't work. You know, if you've got a product, you obviously know who your target market is, and if you don't know who your target market is, you should. And that's the bottom line for any marketing, for any sales. And it's the same as social. So if you don't know who your audience is, I mean, I can do work with you on that. Um, but you know, you really just, and it's quite a simple process, you know, just really think about who you want to sell these products to. And I think we're all very scared and I know I was in the beginning to niche down because you feel like, why am I going to block out 80% of market and only go from my target market. But honestly it really, really does work because you can only talk to a certain area of the market. It doesn't mean that you don't sell to all those other people, but it just means you can focus properly and write to people properly and talk to people properly. Um, so that is the basis where you start, you start with your audience and who they are. You also look at your time and your budget. Um, for some, um, social media platforms like Facebook, for example, it's a really, really, really slow burn on Facebook at the moment to do organic social. Um, so. I mean you can, but again, you need a lot more time. So what I would advise on Facebook is you have an organic strategy, but you also have a paid strategy as well. Um, so obviously you need budget if you haven't got the budget, but you've got time and where your audience is sat you choose to do sort of Instagram. So again, um, you know, you look at your time and. And I can give anybody, you know, how long you should do this and how long you shouldn't do, but you need to work it into your business life and, and how much time you, you think you have. So that's a question that I would pose. Now, if you told me, say, for example, I would say if you're going to do a platform properly, you would need four to five hours a week. Um, most people gasp when they say, when I say that like really, right? Yeah. So if you wanna do it optimum posting optimum engagement, you know, if you want to do it really, really properly, like you would, if you paid a social media manager, that's the time you want to do. If you've only got half of that time, then that's fine. And that's, but you've got to realize that that will work for you and that will work around your schedule. And that's brilliant because that will make you relax about it. But actually. You're possibly going to get slower results and that's fine. Like if that's all the time you've got, then that's fine. But so yeah, I take all those things into consideration. So I would also in a kind of a nutshell kind of way is say, um, as a small business. So again, for myself, I've only taken this into consideration in the last couple of years. I always tell people that it is so much better to do one channel. Brilliantly to push than it is to try and do four badly. Um, because if you look at your Twitter and Facebook account, which I was doing. I wasn't putting enough time into it. Cause I'm only on my own. I might be a social media expert. Like don't have 20 hours a week to spend all my socials because I'm working with my clients and all that sort of thing. So I took my own advice and went, right. I'm now going to specialize in two channels. Cause that's the only time that I've got. So now I do Instagram and LinkedIn as my specialist because you don't want your customers going on a social media channel that isn't being loved and thinking, oh, well, are they in business still? What they haven't posted for ages or, you know, any of that stuff. So definitely one brilliantly two, if you think you've got the time, um, and just focused on. But where your audience is,

Vicki Weinberg: 00:10:37

That makes so much sense. Thank you. I actually, I was going to ask the questions, you know, should you be everywhere or should you just be in one place? Um, but then when you started saying about how long it took, that kind of answered it for me, I'll be honest. Um, no, I had no idea that you needed to spend. No, I don't even know how long I do spend Emma to be honest, but I don't think it is that long.

Emma Peries: 00:10:56

Yeah. I think it's about, and it, you know, and it, cause it's, so that's what I would do as a social media manager, you know, and I'm not saying that that, I mean, that is if you could brilliant, cause actually you will see the rewards out of that. But I do understand that it's got to work around you as a, you know, a mumpreneur around everything else you got to do in your business and everything else. So I think as long as you're. Comfortable with what you choose to do and real, I mean, social media is a slow burn anyway. It's not, you know, it's not going to bring in the cash tomorrow. Like that it's a relationship builder, but it does work if you start off. And that's the other thing, I guess it's just, don't be disappointed if things don't start working straight away, but I I've had people come back to me sort of after a year and now the times, right. You know, I'm a service-based thing. So that's obviously slightly different, but, um, you know, you do find that if you're constantly in somebody's eye, you know, for example, if you're selling jewelry or something, you know, they might not have a gift to buy today or tomorrow, but I can guarantee you in two months time, they'll suddenly have a gift or a Christmas, or, you know, and if you're there in their mind, they think, oh, I'd really like that the other day, you know, they'll come back to you. So yeah. It's but they won't, if you're not keeping up that consistency and keeping fresh in their mind.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:12:17

Thank you. So it sounds like consistency is the main thing here, regardless of which channel or maybe two channels you're on. So that say, you know, however much time you've got, whether it's five hours a week or an hour a week, what are the things we should be doing for however long we have what are the sort of key things we need to be doing on our social channels? Cause I'm assuming it's not just posting and forgetting what are the other things that we need to be thinking about?

Emma Peries: 00:12:46

So your posting is obviously really important as well. It all comes in a huge package and one doesn't really work without the other. So I would work out how much time you've got, for example, and think how, and again, it depends on the platform. You know, if you're doing Twitter, for example, a lot more effort to go into it because you know, you need to be doing about 10 tweets a day just to get noticed, you know, and Instagram, now you can probably get away with three posts a week. But that needs to consist of a Reel, maybe IGTV, you know, not just banging out a post three times a week consistently, you know, you've got to use the whole thing. You've got to be doing stories. So what you need to do is think about your content strategy and the word strategy always freaks people out. And that's the essence that's what it is. So think about, you know, and whether you do that on a week by week basis, or if you can do it on a month, just think, right. Realistically, what am I going to do? Can I do three posts a week and some stories a day, or can I only do one post a week? What will you know, what really can you do that you see? And maybe you build it up think actually, but I'm going to start again this month. But I can only do one post a week and then maybe next month thing, actually, I've got this sorted. Now I'll do two posts a week and, you know, be fair to yourself, but stick to what you're going to do. You know, don't do five posts this week, uh, none for the next two weeks or, you know, that kind of thing. Just be honest with yourselves and think what can I do? Um, but also bring in those other things as well. So it's not just a grid post. It is a Reel. It is stories that you need to do every day it is all that stuff. So it's a big, it's the bigger picture. And realistically, how much of all that can you do? So, yeah, just set yourself some realistic goals, um, but try and take everything into consideration. So maybe it is only one post a week on the grid and then maybe a, and that could be a reel. But try and do a story every day. Think about whether you're comfortable to go live or all that sort of thing. The other massive thing is with your content is don't just post your products all the time. So this feels a bit like, well, what's the point. That's obviously why, what I'm here for and I'm selling. And of course, like, you know, that is the whole point. But if all you're doing is just selling your products all the time, nobody's getting to know you. And we've discussed already that people buy from people and it's just a bit boring, you know, it's just like, where's, you know, where's the value of this it's the terminology that we use, but how can you, you know, help people want to buy your products? Um, for example, if you're selling scarves, could you show people how to wrap them around your neck? Um, that's uh, uh, um, a fashion lady that I follow on Instagram and the other day she had a top. You know, with a tie at the back, and she just did this Reel and she showed three different ways to tie it, but it was so simple, but I thought, oh, I never have thought that I've just done it in the same way each time. So, you know, just think about how you can add value, but with your product. So you're not, you know, and different things that you can do with them. If you are, uh, um, you know, selling shoes, what could you wear with the shoes? You know, if you were selling handbags, what could you wear with the handbag, like show other people's that aren't competitors, but, you know, show other people's, um, goods that you would be like, oh, this goes really well with my red handbag though. I've got for sale, you know, so think about it like that. How can you add value? to your audience, but also your products.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:16:34

Thank you. That was really helpful. Um, and what about sort of you, do they call it user generated content? Emma, what about content from other people? How, how can you sort of get that kind of content? Um, do you need sort of permission to share that kind of content? Because I think that's probably really valuable, cause that was someone else saying I've bought this and I've used it. Um, but how can we as product sellers make the most of that.

Emma Peries: 00:16:58

Yeah. And I'd say you're completely right. Like it's the number one. Um, and whether that's your audience that has just bought something or whether that's influencer as well, you know, both is brilliant because again, we all buy because either somebody has recommended it and someone that we trust on Instagram has recommended it, you know, it's, it is that thing. So. To be honest, all you can do is ask, and I would add it to your invoice receipts that you send with the product. Why don't you tag me in a picture with you wearing it? You know, just something as simple as that, just, you know, ask for it on the grid, um, ask for it in your stories, you know, unless we're, and this is the thing about a CTA is call to actions on social media as well. We are all like cheap or when we have to be told what to do to go through this process of, okay, I've seen those beautiful pair of earrings, but you know, I'm just going to scroll off that. Cause no one's told me what I need to do, you know, be really, and again, this is why you don't do it. Every single post it's like be specific. Tell me what I need to do to press that button to go and buy those earrings or, you know, tell me that you want to see me wearing them. Actually I'm a bit too shy to do that. Like just, we wouldn't even think about it off my own back. Um, so yeah, just ask and actually the more you get and the more you share then maybe that, you know, think about a branded hashtag maybe that you use for your customers. You know, is it wearing whatever your brand name is or is it, you know, some people give their followers a nickname, don't they like, you know, just think about why people would want to get involved with that. And, you know, it's, it's going to be hard. I'm not saying this hashtag suddenly gonna take off. Actually, if you start using things slowly and you can brand it in some nice way, then you know, people might want to be part of that. And if you can get some influencer. To do that as well. And, and again, don't be frightened to ask. I think you just, and you know, as soon as they've shared it, you reshare it to your stories. There's also then nothing wrong with keeping those pictures in a file somewhere and use it again. You know, don't be scared to use things. All right. Maybe not tomorrow, but using that picture again next month and all, you know, just having a rotation of like I would, as a service-based business, I use testimonials and I use that in quotes. And again, there's nothing wrong in doing that. If somebody sends you a lovely email to say, oh, I love this. And my friend loved it. She know I gave it to her for a birthday, use a quote. It doesn't necessarily have to be someone wearing it, but if you can get that picture of somebody wearing it, then yeah, my philosophy is on them. Not, yes, definitely. You should get someone's permission for it. If they send you a picture by email, then say, can I use this on my socials? If they tag you in it, on your socials, I pretty much see that as it's out there and as long as you tag them back in it, but you know, it doesn't take two seconds. Does it to just DM them go. Are you happy for me to share? Um, yeah. Um, so, so yeah, just to make yourself feel comfortable, really.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:20:21

Thank you. That's really helpful. And just want to pick up on something you said there about sort of keeping photos. So let's say on Instagram, which is obviously a platform where if you squat, because Facebook, I think is a bit harder. There's Instagram. If you scroll down, you can sort of see somebody's grid fairly well. If there's no one else can see me, but you am, I'm doing the scrolling motion here, but so is it okay considered, okay to reuse content. So to paste the same image, 3 months later, um, want to say, is it considered okay. What I mean is, I don't know. I say considered okay. I don't even know by whom, but I mean, I've always

Emma Peries: 00:20:57

Never to use the same picture on your grid.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:20:59

Yes. Is that not really a rule?

Emma Peries: 00:21:02

No, I think, well, so. Do you use, you know, you wouldn't consistently use the same pictures over and over again, but I think if you think, Ooh, when did I last post that? Or, you know, you've got to have some ever green content because otherwise it's just going to be forever. I mean, it depends, again, it depends on your products and it depends who you are, but are you going to scroll back through someone's Instagram for a year to see if they posted that picture? Yeah. No, who has time to do that. So I just think, you know, make it work for yourself and think about some of the evergreen things, which is what we call, you know, you can use again and, and it makes your life easier, especially on a yearly basis. I mean again, you don't want to churn out the same Christmas posts every single Christmas, but if you've got sort of a rotation of product images that you took at Christmas with a tree in the background, you know, this Christmas, you might decide to set up a Christmas shoot. And I would say to anybody, you know, I'm sure most people, the product-based do have professional photos, but if you can get, you know, a batch of professional photos, like I do myself, I'm still a service-based business. So I take pictures of myself. I've now got such a lot of pictures that I can use different things on a kind of a rotational basis. So if you went and did that Christmas shoot this month, with your 20 products. From 20 products, you might get 60 pictures cause you can take them from different things and then maybe, you know, think about right. I'm going to want to use that this Christmas next Christmas and the Christmas after, for example. So take three different shots then you're like, oh, there's my 2021 Christmas pictures. And there's my 2022 Christmas pictures. And there's my 2023 Christmas pictures. So you don't actually have to do that shoot again and you're getting more value for money. I'm not, you know, I know everyone's going to have new things coming out, but if you feel like that is your business and I've got a stock lot, you know, that's just an idea of how you can save a bit of time and money and use. And use it again. And you can do that seasonally. You might do the same shoot. We'll take the Christmas tree out the back, um, you know, just do different things like that. So just think about when you are doing your photography, don't think, oh, I need a pose for tomorrow. We're just going to get one of my products there. Am I going to take a picture of it? Like, think about it as a whole and think about it on a seasonal basis and how it would work for you.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:23:31

Oh, I like that. That so organized. That's such a good idea. I guess it does come down to planning, I guess then Emma.

Emma Peries: 00:23:39

I think that's what trips people over. And I think, you know, social media is always at the front of people's mind, but it gets to the back of the list. Um, And, you know, I'm guilty of this too. You know, the thing that actually brings the money is go, what's goes to the top of the list, isn't it? And, and social kind of, you know, it will in the long-term, but actually just posting that today isn't necessarily what I need to do today. So it just, everybody, I think always just thinks and it's and it's, but it is something else that needs to be planned. Yeah, I'm doing a workshop in a couple of weeks where we are talking about content planning and it's, you know, the framework that I use and it's, you know, how you plan it, what you should be putting into place, all that sort of thing. And, and instead of scrabbling around every day going, what on earth am I going to post today? It just allows you to think. Oh, I've got nine posts there that I've just decided about that, you know, for the next couple of weeks that spin off and it does, it does make you think about it much differently. It takes that pressure off the shoulders because you've got it in sight and you know what you're going to do. And then you think, oh, that's what I'm going to do. So I can just do this. And it just, you know, it feels like, oh my goodness, that's something else I need to plan for. That's something else that I need to do. But honestly, if you take a few hours out of one day, It will save that feeling every single day of, oh, what am I going to do now?

Vicki Weinberg: 00:25:13

Yeah, that really makes actually last week I spent a morning, a whole morning planning, writing and scheduling Instagram posts. And you know, probably the hardest thing of all for Emma was actually sitting down and doing it the time to do it, but having it in the calendar and doing it. I mean, it's just better for, you can just take a bit of a sigh of relief because not my favourite task bu thaving it done in one go is actually less painful than as you say, waking up on Monday morning and thinking, oh, I've got nothing lined up for this week. What on earth am I going today?

Emma Peries: 00:25:47

I think your flow comes as well. I mean, obviously if you've got like a framework that I use and it comes, but even with your own thing, if you haven't got that, you'll, you'll just get into a bit more of a flow and saying, I'm gonna have thoughts about that today. Now I'm going to add value on that piece for, for the next post. And then I'm going to try and sell that bit. And then, you know, Just make a bit more sense and take you less time because you're in that flow, then it would be just did it manually everyday.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:26:14

That makes sense. Thank you. So we've talked a little bit about content and I don't want to move away from content and how to sell your products entirely, but I'm just curious to know your thoughts on say, lots of us are sort of small businesses, maybe we're solo preneurs, um, and we're, you know, we're selling our products. Um, should we, or how much should we be getting a bit of ourselves across as in, should we be talking to us about our products or should be sharing a bit about ourselves as well, or does it not matter?

Emma Peries: 00:26:47

I've just realized I didn't answer one of your questions. I guess I'm going to go back to that. But, um, I, I think it's up to you. I personally believe if you've got a strong, so let's take me, for example. I am. I am my business. I'm a service-based business. So that does make a difference. So people are buying me as a service. So I do try and put myself on, um, on my grid and on my stories. So I think as a product based business, I don't think you necessarily have to, especially if you're not comfortable doing it because you don't want to feel like, oh, that's, you know, really something I don't want to do, but I do genuinely think if people get to know you and get to know, you know, you as a person, then it's easier to buy from you.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:27:41

Thank you Emma. Um, so what I'd love to know, and I'm sorry, because we're going off topic of content just for one minute, is, um, are there channels that lend themselves better to setting products than others? So I know for my clients, those are on social media or wants to be on Instagram. Cause obviously it's very visual and if you've got nice product photography, I guess that kind of makes sense. Um, is that what's your view on that?

Emma Peries: 00:28:05

I think they're right. Um, I mean, definitely Instagram is the most visual platform, but now it's not just a photo sharing app. It's going to be a video sharing, you know, it's definitely going that way. So if you are on Instagram and you have not yet done a Reel or you've not yet done, IGTV, Reel really is. You need to start thinking about that. That is the way things are going. Um, not to say that you can't share photos on there still either, but it's needs to be a good mix. Um, obviously, uh, you can now have a shop on Instagram, which you can also have on Facebook. So I guess those two kinds. Would work hand in hand. And if you've got budget to do some Facebook advertising, which you can also do on Instagram, that I think, you know, that all lends itself. Um, but Pinterest is really, really growing at the moment. I have no idea about Pinterest and I am not going to start, but I do know, um, you know, just through social media learnings, Pinterest is the one that is growing rapidly. Um, and obviously really, really visual comes up really high end sort of Google searches when you're searching for images and things like that. So that might be something to consider. Um, how that works.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:29:21

Thank you, Emma. I might actually do an episode just on Pinterest at some point. That sounds like that could be really useful, but coming back to what you're an expert in and that's Instagram, because I think that lots of people listening will likely be on Instagram or thinking about coming onto Instagram. Cause as you said, it is brilliant for products. Um, you said Reels a little moment ago. That scared me slightly. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's a little bit terrified. Could you give us some idea, some ideas. Um, so let's say, you know, we, I, I sell products. I need to say, I need to start using Reels and get on board with that. Um, what sort of the most basic product where you can get, what are some, what are some sort of Reel someone could go and create this afternoon today? Whenever they're listening.

Emma Peries: 00:30:07

So I'm just going to talk about Reels just for a second before I sort of say that because. What you see, like we'll all see different Reels on your feed, but what you see on that, don't be scared to do something because you're not going to be singing, dancing, mouthing to something. You know, what a Reel is still your brand. So think about the tone of voice that you normally use. Think about everything that you normally do. If you're selling earrings. So I know I keep using it as an example, which is terrible, but it's like if you're selling earrings doesn't mean that you necessarily want to dance around on a reel and not talk about earrings. So what I said earlier about adding value to things, um, you know, And it's perfect for lending yourself to adding value about what could I wear these earrings with, with my hair, up with my hair, down with this neckline, with this, you know, whatever sort of, you know, so think about things like that and showing off your products in a, in a new and different way. If you've got something that needs to be opened or, you know, Showing something and in a better way, you know, don't, it doesn't have to be this trending thing that is going on at the moment. You know, thinking like tik toks, obviously the reels are coming from tik tok and it sort of brought itself over, but just stick to your brand and stick to your, what your audience work, what your audience want. Um, so how can you do something really basic? So. The thing about Reels is you have to grab someone's attention first two or three seconds. So it has to not only, you know, just like you think your images striking and stop scrollable, that you have to have something that stops that attention. And the way to really do that is to have text on the screen because when reels come through they're muted. So even if. You know, a really great piece of music, or if you're talking on them, which you can do now on Reels, you can have a blend of your voice out of the music. You know, you've got to think they come without the sound. So, you know, you want a really attention grabbing thing and that's probably not here's my new earring. It's probably something like. You know, did you know or like, just think about how you can hook somebody and think about, you know, what's going to grab somebody's attention or, um, can you believe they're made of this, or, you know, whatever, or do you need this in your life? You know, if you're a baby product, like, you know, think about what the, what your problem you're filling for that mom and, you know, go in with that kind of a hook. Um, like also you gotta think about transitions and there were loads of fancy ones out there, but the, the best and the most basic ones to use when you're starting out is literally the fact that, you know, you stop and start the recording and you keep your phone in the same place. And you, um, I'm doing that thing now and I, where I'm showing my hands and nobody can see what I'm doing, but it's like, so for example, I'm just going to tell you, so I did this on my workshop recently, but people could see me on zoom, but I'm just like, so I've got a tissue box in front of me. These are my products. And then I want to sell my glasses cleaner and my water bottle. So I'd line those up and I'd put them in position and I'd get my phone. So. If you haven't got a tripod or a stand for your phone, get a plug and get a plug on the three pins that point out, put your phone in it. And you've got yourself a phone, uh, holder. So. And then put your products. Like this is only if it's like small, like these products. This is an idea of like, you can put my tissue box down there and I can film that for sort of five seconds. I can stop the recording. I can take my tissue box out. I'll put my glass cleaner in exactly the same place and I haven't moved my phone and I record it again. And then I do the same thing. I stopped the recording. I take out the glasses cleaner and I put my water bottle in the same place. I start the recording, I stop it and they get, and then you've got. Uh, video that is just showing three of your products, but it looks like they're disappearing and, you know, re coming out as themselves. And that's like the most basic, and that's what it was made for really is to just, so if you are, if you sell clothes of some description, Um, again, you can do the same thing, make sure your camera's in the same place. You can wear an outfit and you can jump back into exactly the same position. It just looks like you've changed outfits really quickly. Um, and it's all to do with the edit is editing to the music. It's making it short and sharp and sweet. And to be honest, don't aim for anything more than a ten second reel because people's interest isn't that long. Like you can have 60 second reels now. Whether that's going to replace IGTV or whether we're thinking, I don't know, that's probably to come, but at the moment I would just be like short and sharp. Make sure you've got that hook. Make sure you've got a transition and make sure you've got a call to action. Whether it's read what's in the comments or link in the bio or, you know, whatever it is, again, we just need to be told what to do. So what, what, what do we need to do for what you're trying to do in your Reel.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:35:40

Okay, thank you for that, Emma. So it sounds, you've made it sound a lot easier than I mean, I, I saw the workshop you did, but it was visual and obviously really does help, but I think you've described it really well. From what I'm taking is just maybe just have a go and just play about with it. I think like anything, um, I haven't done a Reel before, because I'm a bit scared because I don't know how to do it, but I'm sure it's one of these things.

Emma Peries: 00:36:06

Yeah. It's like, you know, it's just like, you've just got to get on with it. And to be honest, what's the worst that can happen. I didn't, you just gotta put it out there and, you know, I would always say to share it's your grid as well, because that's the way it's going to get shown in the feed. I mean, if you're really not confident about it, but you wanted to have a practice and get one out there, then just don't share your first ones in the feed. No one's gonna see it. So it's pointless, but you know, you only get better with practice and just, I would just say, just start because actually it is a lot less scary than it feels. Um, another really good one actually for product that. The sort of baby playmats. You know, if you've like, if your product transforms a room, for example, can you show like the before and then the transition really is as easy as putting your hand up to the phone or putting the phone down into the floor and then making sure that it's coming out of the same thing, but you've got the after. So this is what my, how my product changesthe room, you know, that sort of thing. So yeah, there's, there's quite a few and transitions are quite easy. They look really difficult. Um, I've got a background in broadcast journalism. It's like kind of get how these things work, you know, editing pictures and stuff, but actually it does allow you to do it. That's what it's made for. So just have a play around with the, with the, with the reel itself and you'll soon get to know.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:37:32

Okay. That is all super helpful. Thank you. I think, yeah, I think everyone listening let's just have a go as well.

Emma Peries: 00:37:39

And tag me. Like if you've done one and you, you know, there's all things to do. Have you got to think about where the words go and you don't get them off the screen? I'm sure you've all looked at reels and you can't see the words, you know, they've got to be in the right place and things like it, but it's all, you know, there's loads of tips and stuff that I could give you, but it's all, it's all a learning curve, unless you do it wrong. You probably don't realize that you need to do it right next time. So yeah, just, just, just get on with it and tag me in it. And if you want me to. Give you some constructive criticism. I will.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:38:09

Thank you. And what's your social Instagram handle on Instagram?

Emma Peries: 00:38:12

I'm @digital.Mother.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:38:14

Thank you. And we'll put that in the show notes as well to make it super easy. So one final question before we finish up, if that's okay. So obviously you've shared loads and loads with us today and we've all got lots to go away and think about, and I think definitely some content planning is on my list for this week. Um, but what was your number one piece of advice when it comes to setting your products on social media?

Emma Peries: 00:38:37

So this isn't even about product business, my piece, my one piece of advice, and we touched on it, I think a bit earlier is engagement. And I think it's the one thing that gets put to the bottom of the list. Um, but it's super, super important. It is about building relationships. It is about being, um, Never post and don't reply to a comment. Um, you know, cause it is your, it's your buyers and they're there and they're waiting, you know, it's like anything. And if you get ignored, then you'd be, might be a bit like um. So, you know, just have a bit more of a, you know, strategic way. I hate notifications. Cause it makes you something, oh, I've got a notification I've got to do it now. You don't have to do it now. Yes. There's a time scale in replying to people, but you know, make it work in your day and think, right. You know, whenever you post things right. An hour later, I'm going to go back and I'm going to check and see who's commented because that will, that will not only please them, but it will also help the algorithm because you need to do it as quickly as you can. Um, but so it's, but it's not just about replying to people that commented on your posts. You need to go out and you need to look at for other people. So is it an influencer? Is it somebody that's in a similar field to you? Not a competitor necessarily, but that you can go and engage with that people and find new people, you know, influencers are great about that. You find people in your niche or your thing that you can just start having conversations with that. If they can see your comment, they might think, oh, who's that all right. And then they, and that's how you get them to look at your profile. So if you're not getting out there and joining other people's conversations is quite hard to get noticed.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:40:20

That makes sense.

Emma Peries: 00:40:21

The other thing that I would say it's not necessarily my top tips on social, but, um, a tip and we have touched on this again, is just think about yourself. Don't, you know, I could give you 101 things that you have to do and you have to post on this day and you have to post this many times and did it, uh, but just sit down and give yourself a minute and think seriously, how much time have I got to spend on my marketing in a week? And what does that input incorporate and how much of that is social and set yourself up with, uh, you know, if it's one hour a week, that's all you've got. So use that hour a week. Don't suddenly go. Oh, I'm going to do five hours this week, and then I'm not going to do anything for four weeks, you know, and none of us planning to do that, do it, but that happens to all of us, even me. Um, so I would just think strategically about how you can use that hour. So are you going to do, and don't use that hour probably all on a Monday, like do think right on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, can I fit in 20 minutes of engagement? Or, you know, when I think about that post that you're going to post, can I engage around that post? Cause that's probably one of the best things to do is, you know, start engaging with your audience. And then when you're posting, then hopefully that post will get seen as well. So, but make it work for you. Don't get bogged down on everything that you hear and see, but you have to make it work for you. And then it will just feel much more manageable.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:41:53

That's fantastic. Thank you so much, Emma. So I'm going to link to your website and all of your socials in the show notes. People can come and find out more about you and what you do, and yeah. Thank you so much for all that you shared

Emma Peries: 00:42:04

Was that ok? Not too waffly?.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:42:07

No, it's been brilliant.

Emma Peries: 00:42:09

You're welcome.

Vicki Weinberg: 00:42:11

Hi, thank you so much for listening as always. I'd absolutely love to know what you thought of this episode. Please do remember to rate and review the show and also most importantly subscribe. So you don't miss out on any future episodes. And as a reminder, I release a new episode every single Friday. So take care and look forward to speaking to you again, then.