Putting the 'Social' back in Social Media

Are you preaching to your customers?

Sometimes it’s hard to put the “social” in social media, isn’t it? 

1-sided conversations are less fun.

We have so much to do and so little time to create great relationships BOTH online and offline. It can be overwhelming and you may never actually spend the time getting to know and interact with your community. When you do communicate, like through posting content alone, it can feel like you’re preaching to them from a soapbox. It’s 1-way communication. And who wants that?

Rather than preaching and feeling overwhelmed with social media, I want you to think about being at a nice, relaxing, social dinner party. You don’t stand on a soapbox during a dinner party and shout about your business. You transition from one conversation to the other, getting to know each person, taking the time to ask thoughtful questions. And those you speak to will do the same in return. And hey, they may even ask about your business, and that could lead to a great relationship or champion. 

People buy from those who they know, like, and trust. 

Building strong relationships is important online just like it is in real life. 

Rather than focusing all your time on creating posts, make sure to spend some time engaging with your followers. Keep up with what they are doing. They’re real people, with real stories, thoughts, ideas, and connections. You can build a much stronger presence by having personal conversations than you ever would by jumping on a soapbox, or even pulling out a blow horn.

So, when you’re scheduling time to create your posts and make the pictures look pretty, also set aside 20 minutes every day or a few times each week to engage in ACTIVE conversations. Don’t just passively like someone’s post. 

• Leave a 1-2 sentence reply with a thoughtful response. 
• Respond to their stories with notes of encouragement. 
• Share their post to your own story or newsfeed and @mention them to show your support and appreciation. 

These small gestures built over time can have a HUGE impact on your online presence and community. 

Not only will you be building relationships and building your own visibility, without standing on a soapbox, but you’ll be helping to champion the professionals and businesses in your network. When that happens, we all win.