Instagram stories are just the right combination of a standard social post and a Snapchat snap, giving you both a creative canvas and a timely platform to showcase your business. If you’re looking for new creative ways to show your (business’s) stuff on Instagram, check out these ideas. [Side note: I refer to products/services as “stuff” for the sake of ease and consistency here.]

1: Gain (& Shout Out) Customer Feedback

Need a quick gut check from your Instagram following? Use the poll feature to see whether your customers like your new stuff better in green or blue. Tap into the questions add-on to see what’s confusing about your stuff. Or simply add the reaction sliderbar to measure in emojis how much customers love your photo of choice.

Gone are the days when touting customer views is in bad taste. It’s common practice now for businesses to share good customer feedback on their Instagram stories. Be sure to gain permission prior to sharing, though!

2: Drive In-Store or Online Purchases

New product in stock? Just added a new service? Each day over 200 million Instagram users visit at least one business profile each day. Drive new customers to your brand by showing what’s new, what’s happening, and what you can offer. Let them know where to find you and how to contact you.

3: Show Your Value
Include photos or quick video clips of your stuff in action. Before and after photos (and progress photos) work wonders. Float ideas to make your offering click: help people envision your product in their posession by creating a complementary outfit for the shirt you’re selling; let them know why your service makes the for the best business team building activities or girls’ night out.

NOTE: Becoming more active on Instagram and pushing messages out to the masses also implies you’re ready to accept messages coming in. Stay on top of direct messages that may come in in response to your posts. Nothing is worse than a potential new customer left hanging.

Easier said than done, you say? Let’s chat about that