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Written by Katie Waxman on July 16, 2024

VendCentral Founder and Spokesperson: Neil Swindale

Is your company’s social media strategy important for your brand? Absolutely.  But your vending company’s brand should have a human face as well, ideally a spokesperson. If you are an owner-operator, your LinkedIn social media account can be a driving force behind your company’s online marketing success.  No one can build trust and relationships better for your company than you! If you are having a hard time getting started, remember these 4 simple tips.

Tip 1: Be Authentic

Your LinkedIn audience wants to see the real you and will connect with your stories.  Share the challenges you are overcoming.  Celebrate the wins (like that new micro-market install!).  Shout out appreciation for long-term employees and express gratitude for loyal customers. Or, explain how something in your personal life is influencing your professional life. No matter what you post, remember your social media platform should always showcase your professionalism and passion for your business.

Royal ReFresh Ryan Harrington Post

Owner-operator Ryan Harrington shares news of Royal Refresh’s latest micro market install

Tip 2: Show Your Expertise

Whether you are adding insight to industry trends, showing excitement for new products, or displaying curiosity and anticipation for new technology, be sure to weigh in on the topics that matter to your industry and customers. It will all show your audience that you are staying in the know on the latest and greatest breakroom products and services. This will build trust and confidence in you AND your company’s brand.

Tip 3: Engage with your Community

Get on LinkedIn and see what other leaders in your community and industry are doing on their social media platforms.  Contribute through likes and comments.   It will grow the awareness of you and your company.  It will also promote goodwill that will inevitably return to you. Take note of how your audience becomes more engaged with your content through comments, shares, or even direct messages.

Tip 4: Build a Bridge

Finally, build a connection between your personal social media platform and your company’s social media platform.  Do this by commenting on your company’s posts and blogs.  Take it a step further by sharing your company’s social media content on your own personal platform and adding your point of view. As your company’s spokesperson, you should be its biggest cheerleader!  Invite your audience to take action, like following your company’s brand page or reaching out for advice on the latest breakroom products and equipment. This connection is an important part of successful social selling and brand growth.

Corporate Coffee Systems David Henchel Post

CEO David Henchel applauds the Corporate Coffee Systems tech team

Getting social on LinkedIn can be intimidating.  But, don’t let your worry over making things look perfect prevent you from making it happen. If you create content that showcases your personality and drive to keep your customers happy you can’t go wrong.  Your content will be a perfect enhancement to your company’s social media marketing strategy.

VendCentral specializes in marketing programs with strong social selling strategies for Operators, Manufacturers, and Suppliers in the Refreshment Services Industry.  Contact us for a free consultation.

Written by Katie Waxman on May 14, 2024

Your vending company’s social media presence has never been more important. It can build brand awareness, reach new audiences, and help your company stay top-of-mind with existing customers. It promotes your vending services, products, and overall brand.

Businesses that maintain a strategic social media presence often have a competitive edge.

But, where does your personal social media account fit in?  And how can you use it to promote your vending brand?

Your personal social media accounts can play a large role in growing your brand – especially if you are an entrepreneur or thought leader in the vending industry.  Your personal social media platform can humanize your business and build genuine relationships with your audience.  It can also help differentiate you from competitors.

Here’s how to use your personal social media platform to promote your vending business:

Integrate your business and personal brand

Incorporate your vending company’s logo, services, and story into your personal profile.  Use your platform to showcase your experience and insight into the vending industry. A behind-the-scenes look into your company will help your audience connect with your brand. If you have a great entrepreneurial story behind your business, don’t be shy about sharing it!

Leverage your network

Your personal network is made up of some of your biggest cheerleaders.  Share your company’s posts to make them aware of the great things your business is doing. Add your own insights to create even more impact. Your network’s likes and comments will help further promote your brand.

Be sure to also watch what industry experts and colleagues are posting about.  Commenting on their posts will display your knowledge and interest in vending services and further promote your business.

Showcase your company culture

We know you are passionate about your business and its success, so let it show! Use your personal platform to give special thanks to hard-working employees and showcase what they are doing to make a difference. If members of your team are giving back to their local community, shine a light on their service to others.  These posts will show your audience that you are a great company to work with AND work for.

A well-managed company social media presence is essential. But, by thoughtfully integrating your business into your personal social media platforms, you can create a powerful, social selling strategy to promote your vending brand.

VendCentral specializes in social media content creation for companies in the vending industry.  Contact us to learn more about our services and how we can help grow your business.

Written by Katie Waxman on September 18, 2023

Social selling and other types of sales are key to all businesses, especially breakroom services. Why? Because a well-stocked vending machine or hard-working office coffee brewer goes mostly unnoticed by decision makers.

How then do you ensure the facility manager remembers your great breakroom service? How do you have the type of relationship with a client’s HR that will last years? And what about new customers? How will you show them that you can give the personalized service that they want? This is where social selling comes in.

What is Social Selling?

First, let’s define this type of selling. In a nutshell, social selling is a method of building relationships using social media. Typically, it’s done through LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The idea is to engage customers, old and new, and show your talent and service level. As a result, sales increase.

Why Social Selling Works

Social selling is highly successful for B2B customers. That is because it can be a significant investment for the company, either in subsidized services or a long contract. Because of that many B2B buyers, like office managers, do research online before reaching out to a salesperson. This is the main reason social selling works so well. It is about building trust and showing the level of knowledge and service your company is about.

Other Benefits of Social Selling

There are many other reasons you should be using this selling approach. Here are some key perks to build the case for this type of sales.

Cost-Efficient

Compared to advertising and cold calls, social selling can get you a better return for the money. That is due to the fact that social media platforms offer free and paid ways to connect with that ideal customer.

Data Driven

Social media platforms offer reports and tools to see engagement. These analytics give you measurable metrics about how you are doing. The insights can also help you refine your strategies to produce better results.

Competitive Edge

Social selling helps your business stand out. In the way reviews help your company, being on social media platforms will too. Customers will see your presence online and how you connect with others. This boosts your brand in their minds. It shows you are customer-focused, responsive, and helpful. That will set you apart from the other vendors in the area.

Social Selling is an Important Tool

In the end, this type of selling helps get the trust of facility managers and other breakroom service buyers. It shows that you are a reliable expert and care about your clients. It also lets you reach a wider group of people in a cost-efficient way. Don’t forget that the results are measurable, so you can pivot, and gain the upper hand over the vending competition. Thus, drive up sales.

Need some help? VendCentral is a digital marketing company just for the vending industry. We can help you with building relationships online that result in higher sales. Discuss your options today by calling (866) 699-8363 or emailing info@vendcentral.com.