Social Media tool usage is growing. With that comes the spammers, the short-cutters and the short-sighted-approachers. You know these guys. They are the ones moving from introduction to closing before you have even been properly introduced. That’s not very nice is it? You don’t like it when someone does that to you…so don’t repeat it in your own marketing.
Social Networking tools require you to participate.
The short-cutters are not participating. They are playing the game, going through the motions and looking for the quickest route to payout. Problem is, it shows and it upsets people.
Your business has a flow, and understanding how marketing efforts help with attracting people to you, building credibility, and driving conversation is key to any sustainable marketing success.
You may have created a Twitter account and set up a LinkedIn Profile. You may have created a blog and told some friends about it. Now you want your time and effort as you participate to be productive for your company.
These tools can be useful at many points within the marketing flow depending on your goals, your target market and your business structure. Today I want to focus on the Credibility concept.
Right now the short-cutters seem to be using these tools to attract people and then try to immediately sell them something. Why not attract people IN ORDER to build your credibility?
Here are TWO ideas:
Participate on Twitter by first finding people who fit your target. Then GIVE information, help, tips, links to articles you have written. HELP solve problems. Become a trusted connector to others. Show that you understand your target customer’s problems, issues and challenges by connecting personally with people and sharing your knowledge FIRST. Give to Get…right?
You may be asking: How do I find my target market people on Twitter?
Here’s one good way:
a. Go to search.twitter.com
b. Type in a word or a phrase: Kansas City…or Marketing…or a key word that relates to your business.
b-and-a-half. GRAB the RSS feed for that term. Watch and listen. Then talk.
c. See all of those people who are talking about you…or your company…or your industry…or your city? THEY are the people you want to know about YOU…or your company…or your service.
d. RESIST the temptation to just blurt out your sales pitch, “HEY, you wanna buy some stuff!?!?!?” DO NOT send the same message over and over and over with a link to your website.
e. INSTEAD – ASK these people what they struggle with. Refer them to useful things, people, solutions. SHOW them that you are a good person to know. Don’t tell me you are a guru or an expert…SHOW me!
Participate on LinkedIN:
Profile First – Set up a complete or mostly complete Profile. As you are doing this, take a little time to really think and plan. WHAT is LinkedIn for? This is a business networking site. Networking is ALL ABOUT connecting people you know with people you know. Networking is collaborative and requires your participation. So don’t jump to the end … just start using the tool.
JOIN NEXT - Join key Groups either from your city, your industry, or around companies or organizations that are important to you. Then post conversation topics AND participate in conversations that are MORE than just, “has anyone tried my {insert latest offering here}”.
Regular Participation Third – A very effective (and not too time consuming) way to participate on LinkedIn is to answer questions that TRULY help people that are asking legitmate questions. Answer questions where you share some of your expertise or where you can help someone by connecting them with another person.
Building credibility with potential clients is essential as you work within the flow of your business. Credibility leads to trust…which leads to referrals for your business. Stop working against the flow of your own business’ marketing. Pay attention to this intermediate step.
First – Attract.
Then – Build credibility and trust BEFORE you move towards a business conversation.
Try doing this BEFORE you go into sales pitch mode and you will stand out from the dastardly no gooders, the spammers and the short-cutters.
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