This is How Your Biz Should Start Using Pinterest this Valentine's Day

Ah, Valentine's Day.  What's the toughest part?  Often it's the "what do I buy my husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend/friend/sister/etc. to show them I care?  While people used to turn to magazines or television shows to answer this question (and of course many still do today), like every occasion that will includes gift-giving, more and more Americans are turning to the Internet and more specifically, social media, for gifting inspiration. I know I myself am an out-of-the-closet Pinterest shopper, for myself and others.  I love the visual search option and the new discoveries I tend to find on the platform.  If you're planning to sell something this Valentine's Day - to new or potential customers - it's important your business be visible on these platforms as well.

Though most entrepreneurs are already aware of this and are planning to begin posting on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram about their offerings, sales, products and services, you could be one of the many who are going to leave out one powerful social media gift idea promotion: the Pinterest Gift Guide.  What do I mean by this?  I mean your business should be creating and curating a gift guide (or more than one depending on how much you have to offer) packed with an organized set of gift ideas that customers and the press can access and get inspired by.  Here's why you'll want to make that happen (and make it happen now, when there's still time to snag buyers and members of the media needing to fill gift lists and guides):
 

• You can curate specific gift guides by theme or topic that will be helpful and inspirational for potential customers looking for gifts for him, for her, under 100.00, for food lovers, a "green gift list" or whatever other themes you can create.

• When pitching the short lead press to gain inclusion in a Valentine's Day Gift Guide you can link to your Pinterest Gift Guides and save them from hunting through your website (or sending endless links).  You've already styled and linked to images and information via your gift guides.

• The power of a Pinterest Gift Guide can be perpetual!  Once your gift ideas are posted, others can begin posting them on their own Pinterest pages and your company's wares will begin spreading without you doing any work! 

• It's one more piece of your company's story online, that will be luring people to your website.  Once the holiday is over, you can keep your Gifts for Him or Gifts for Her gift guides up, as you never know when someone may need to hunt for the perfect present that your business can fulfill.

• It can be used for both product providers (obviously) but also service providers (massages, cooking classes, yoga workshops - the sky is the limit) meaning every business can take part in this social media strategy!

Side Note: Are you pitching the press right now, hoping to get included into Valentine's Day Gift Guides? Then you'll want to download and listen to this Tin Shingle podcast with one the best PR agencies around: Moderne Press. Jamie Werner, PR Director at Moderne Press: Pitching Short Lead Media for Valentine's Day.

How does your business use Pinterest in a creative or strategic way?  Share it in the comments below!