Regular readers of Charlie Thinks will know that outside of my technology work-life I have four young kids.    They take up a lot of time, and increasingly I forget other items on my to do list.

Here in the UK last Sunday it was Mother’s Day, and with good preparation I bought a card for my mother on the previous Tuesday.  However, buying a card, and writing and posting a card are two different things.  Sadly with a few busy evenings dealing with the kids suddenly it was Saturday morning and I hadn’t sent the card.

Timely and relevant

Even if I do post it now it will get there Monday morning and (like most year’s) I’ll have to ring on Sunday and blame the Royal Mail.  Not a good look for Charlie.  Again!

However, on that Saturday morning I’m scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed on my mobile when I see the following post from Waitrose – a UK supermarket whose page I follow.

Winner!  I clicked the link, went through to the ordering page, and within 2 minutes had confirmation that my order had been placed.  That was 9.57am.

At 13.02pm that day I had an email confirming that delivery had been made to my mother.

20 minutes later I had a call from my mother thanking me for the lovely flowers – a day ahead of Mother’s Day.

Lessons Learned

Selling on social networks is firstly very possible and secondly more than welcome, if you get it right and empathise with your community.

Think about the challenges they might be facing and give them simple one click solutions to solving them.

Personally I now follow a significant number of brands on social networks because I’m being exposed to relavent, timely offers like the Waitrose one that I’m happy and willing to here about.

Have you purchased anything because of a Facebook post?  Who provides you with the most relevant and timely offers on social networks?

I hope you have enjoyed this post.  If so, please share with your network and subscribe in the sidebar.