Pinterest has become one of the biggest and fastest growing social networking sites out there. Its easy to use, graphical platform coupled with the seemingly endless supply of new things to look at make it one of those time warp destinations. You know, one of those sites you go on, and the next thing you know its 3am and you realize you haven’t even blinked in over 6 hours (see also: Reddit, Foodgawker, Worldstarhiphop). Yea, one of those. It is for this exact reason that Pinterest is the perfect platform for businesses trying to engage with their audience. With a little bit of forethought and dedication, small businesses with little resources are able to compete with those bigger brands.
Use Pinterest as an extension of your brand
Branding is way more than just your logo, slogan and color scheme. It is every aspect of your business. I always suggest to my clients to look at their branding strategies through the 5 senses, making sure all of them are stimulated. Although this strategy is much simpler to execute in a brick-and-mortar location, it isn’t impossible to appeal to them virtually. By pinning relevant material that cater to your audience’s five senses, your customers can get a better idea of what you stand for. For example, a small, neighborhood taqueria specializing in Northern Mexican cuisine could use a pinterest account to:
Stimulate the eyes by posting beautiful pictures of the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range in Monterrey.
Stimulate the ears by posting music videos and live performances from some of musicians originating from northern Mexico.
Appeal to the sense of smell by featuring pictures and recipes where cilantro and other potent herbs or spices are used.
Stimulating taste should be the easiest in this example and can be done in conjunction with smell with beautiful pictures of food and recipies.
Appealing to the sense of touch, although the most difficult to execute virtually, can be done with the use of great quotes and poems. It can even occur in terms of the level of feedback and conversation you have with your followers and those you follow.
Although every business is different, the strategy suggested here can be used by all sorts of businesses in all sorts of industries. By curating a virtual experience, not only do you give your audience a better sense of what your business stands for, but posts that are intriguing, relevant and aesthetically pleasing often get re-pinned, spreading your message virally and helping your customer base grow!
