Brain Vibe

In a world where every marketing action has to show value and ROI, the idea that this has to change when entering into social media marketing is so completely foreign.  We all talk about the customer relationship and the customer experience, but in the end, the majority of marketing is narcissitic.

Welcome to your customer’s world.  Here, it is all about the customer.

While participating in Q&A boards on LinkedIn there was a question from a Realtor on the use of social media to help sell real estate.  A resounding “NO” hit hard and fast.  I felt for this person.  They probably thought it was a simple and harmless enough question.  But, it goes to the heart of how people feel about marketing and sales in their social circles.   Ultimately, people participate in social media and networks out of friendship and the ability to grow professional connections.  This is not a shopping experience.

I recently red a blog by Art Barron.  He wrote:

“The weekend is here! You go to party, hoping to catch a few friends, knock back a few drinks and just basically relax and have a good time. Suddenly, some stranger comes up to you, introduces himself and suddenly launches into a sales pitch.

How much of a turn-off is that? That is exactly what happens when you use certain social media sites for purposes they are not intended for.”

The key things to consider are not how to sell your wares.  It is how to connect through trust and nurture a conversation.

1. Blogging:  Utilize in a conversational form to open discussion and allow for opinions.  Links should be to reference your other blogs or experts that may support your information.  This is not the place to link to your products. Leave that to the About or Contact sections.  If they want to know, they’ll find it.
2. Twitter:  Promote simply.  Drive to a recently written blog, event announcement, or major news item.  Keep communications valuable and relevant.  Time limited offers should be sent only if opted in.  Don’t kill customers with Tweets!  It may cost them money but they also won’t read them.  Think about how you send emails – same context goes with Twitter.
3. Befriending: Have a reason.  Explain why you want to connect.  An invite to a fan page on Facebook when they aren’t your target audience is spamming.  An invite to connect because you met at an event or have conversed in comments on a blog is appropriate.
4. Be Nice:  The old adage of you attract more bees with honey should be your motto.  Don’t use social media to trash your competition.  It is not nice and in the end you look desperate and the worse for it.
5. MOST IMPORTANT TIP: Your conversations and connections should resemble how you get to know someone at a party.  Break the ice.  A little personal flattery (I like those shoes!).  A little banter (Can you believe the weather we are having?).  Focus the conversation around the other person (You just got back from vacation?  How was that?).   Find a mutual topic for an interesting conversation.  If you are interesting, your new found friend will ask about you.

It will feel like you are not marketing at all.  You will wonder if this is what you should be doing.  But, in the end, the conversation is genuine and a relationship is born.  People recognize that you have a motive.  The trick is to entice them to ask.  If they don’t, maybe you need to work on what you have to offer.

Filed under: networking, social media, Blog, Conversation, ettiquette, Facebook, LinkedIn, marketing, networking, social media, social media ettiquette, Social network, Twitter