Written by: Hillary Byers Settle | Insightpool We live in a world where time is money, information is instant, and the need-it-now mentality prevails. Even dating is on hyper speed, thanks to mobile apps that simplify the search for romance down to the swipe of a finger. Technology, business, and subsequently, life, are hurtling full speed ahead—blink, and you might miss something.But when it comes to connecting with your audience through social media, you just might want to tap the breaks. In the race to build relationships online, a slower pace is pertinent. Maintaining those relationships is a marathon, not a sprint, and taking it slow with your audience is the way to win.
Making The Connection
Look, learn, and listen—the first steps in cultivating an online relationship.
“Look them in the eyes digitally,”advises author and former chief social marketing officer Ted Rubin in an interview with the
Social Media Marketing podcast . This means checking out your target’s profile, learning something about them, and utilizing their name in conversation to show that you are invested in building a connection. This brings us to the next point…
Give, Then Get
Like any relationship, what you put in is what you get out of it. Did you know that shouting from the rooftops on social and telling people to buy your brand has the lowest return on engagement? The key is to make sure you are giving before asking for something by first connecting with them in a way that makes them feel special. While it might seem time consuming, making this effort will go a long way and will ultimately yield a valuable ROR—return on relationship. For more tips on how to
give before the get,check out our free
eBook: 10 Tips For Achieving 1:1 Relationships On Social .
Be Everywhere At Once
According to
social media strategist Jay Baer , “the holy grail isn’t one million Facebook fans, but being connected to each of your fans in as many places as possible.” In other words, your message is more likely to be heard when you are connected with individuals across multiple social platforms.
Take the time to send your messages in more places, because “the more places you are connected to your customers and fans, the more places you have permission to contact them, and the greater the chances that you will actually be able to contact them somehow, somewhere.”
Winning Results
Taking the time to get to know your target, cultivating a relationship, and nurturing that connection can yield powerful results. Insightpool CEO Devon Wijesinghe demonstrates the impact of opening a conversation with true contextual relevance through a real-life success story in his post,
Rethink “Social” in Social Selling . Ultimately, a
slow-and-steady combination of patience, persistence and the power of genuine conversation proves that online relationships with influencers and brand advocates can successfully be forged.
