The current currency for marketers who are consciously seeking success is relationships.
In her article, Why Relationship is the New Currency for Marketing, Nadia Cameron says that today’s marketers must stop being lazy! She says that marketers (BTW if you’re in business you’re in marketing!) must concentrate on building authentic relationships with customers.
While relationships have always been a focus in business, what’s different in today’s market is that you can build those relationships at your dining room table and reach a far more expansive audience than ever before.
Cameron claims that one big mistake is to see social media followers as your audience. That statement caught my attention! The nurturing of the connection between a follower and you requires focused attention to turn it into a relationship.
Our networking now consists of online and in-person connections, and we must nurture both.
The old ways of marketing kept us separate from our audience in many ways. Finding new ways of connecting and reaching out to your audience and potential customers is essential. And requires devoted time.
Reaching out to people on social media and addressing them by name is one way of stepping up your marketing and online networking. The article states that most people on social platforms are not participating. They are looking for information rather than trying to build connections. Find the ones that will engage. Social media platforms are the facilitators of relationship building.
Trust is a key ingredient in the building of relationships, whether online or in person. “If you focus on interaction, consistency, being true to your work, authenticity, and being genuine, it will pay off. You have to figure out a way to tap into those moments where we can connect with the consumer.” Ted Rubin
The ways to build better relationships through networking include:
- Listen. Listen with your eyes on social media. Read what people are saying is important to them. Find out more about that. Be curious.
- Don’t assume that you know. Ask good questions to learn more.
- Find out how you can serve them. You’ll learn that by asking.
- Don’t walk away from people who “like” you. If you don’t take the next step to engage, it’s like opening the door and not inviting someone in.
In the upcoming Networking A-Game Program, we’ll investigate many ways to engage in the business of building those all-important relationships ~ the true focus of networking!