The best way to engage on social networks is by building relationships.
Social media is an engagement tool that can be used to boost your brand reputation. Actually, as a brand, you can’t afford NOT to leverage social media to building rapport with your clients and followers. Social media allows you to open dialogue with hundreds, to thousands and millions of people, and if you can build a mutually beneficial relationship with your followers it will help increase word-of-mouth marketing. The chances are, they may not remember that they became your follower, but if you constantly interact with your followers, and consistently deliver value, they will remember you.
Anytime, one has an intentional conversation, or we build an intentional relationship, we open ourselves to opportunity.
The best place to start if you want to build relationships online, is through a blog. It’s where your followers will engage with you, through comments and discussions. Blogs typically offer valuable content to readers including news, tips, advice and commentary. You can kick your blog up a notch by add compelling images and video. Video is especially powerful when you really want to create that personal touch and give more visually stimulating content.
Blogging is about sharing – but more than that, it is about connecting. Making connections, through blogging is crucial for a growing brand. It will provide numerous business opportunities plus great content on your blog and it will position you as a thought leader in your community. The best and strongest relationships take time to grow, but it’s important that you carve out time to make connections within your industry and not just acquaintances.
Read about how to go from acquaintance to connection in George Fraser’s book: Click: Ten Truth’s for Building Extraordinary Relationships
Different types of businesses can use social media. Whether it is a street vendor to let loyal patrons know where they will be setting up each day; hotel operators, booking thousands of extra rooms each year through discounts offered exclusively to fans and followers on social media sites; and restaurant owners, keeping tables full by offering group discounts through sites like Groupon; even Fortune 500 Companies are stimulating positive word of mouth on social networks.
You can click here to read about how the Fortune 500 Companies are using Social Media.
With social media, you can increase profits by building customer loyalty, increasing awareness of your brand, finding new business and gaining customer insights and it also enhances your reputation, and provides the feedback to help you improve your products and services. Today, social media is helping many businesses stay profitable and relevant in an ever-increasing social world.
If you already use social media, how has it helped you build your brand, business and relationships?