AndyBrown.org

As a business in Fife, it’s time to ask is your business social? Why, because simply there is no way you can be successful with social media marketing if this isn’t the case.

Let’s take a closer look at how best to be social.

The key of any type of social or business relationship is communication and it’s no different online. In fact I’m all for social media being renamed as conversational media. This is because unfortunately many businesses and individuals don’t quite seem to understand the essence of being social on the internet and this may just give them a clue as to how they should behave.

The company that continually bombards their Facebook Fan Page or Twitter stream with sales messages is effectively shouting at their fans and followers. It’s only a matter of time before their audience will be turned off and go elsewhere. It’s far better to build your brand and connections online by having conversations and showing an active interest in others. Simply because it’s your Fan Page doesn’t give you the right to send rapid fire sales messages all day long.

Social media allows you to easily make these connections. It’s far easier to do than if you had to make them in person. Over time you can build rapport and strengthen them to the point that it becomes a no brainer for your fans to want to purchase from you.

It’s all too easy to get wrapped up the technicalities of marketing online with social media, and forget the all important point that human psychology hasn’t changed over the years, people still buy people. This simple lesson has stood the test of time and will never change. History proves this time and time again.

History has also shown that one technological invention doesn’t replace another. We still have the fax machine and whilst many predicted a paperless office, it’s safe to say you and I will be using paper for a long time to come. If you consider all of these tools, namely the telephone, radio, television, and the internet – not one has replaced the other as the definite way to advertise your business. Rather they give us additional ways to market. We have the luxury of moving a prospect from a direct mail campaign to online or the other way around depending on how we have set up our own marketing funnels. The opportunities are endless and the tools to track their success are very affordable if not free.

The Shift From Push To Pull Marketing

So whilst the internet hasn’t replaced other methods of advertising it has been responsible for the major shift from push to pull marketing. When you paste your message across a billboard or run a 30 second ad on the local radio you are essentially pushing your message out into your neighbourhood. This was the way for many decades and you were in complete control. You did all of the talking, the customer had no way of replying. Fast forward to today and this is totally different to social media marketing where the customer should be actively encouraged to engage in conversation. Furthermore much like when you meet someone for the first time at a party or business networking event, it’s best to be the one who does more listening than talking. No one likes to get trapped into a corner with the social bore, as she or he hijacks the whole conversation with their own stories. In short if you weren’t listening before, you sure as must be now if you are using social media in your business.

You Are In The Listening Game

Social media has changed the way we communicate online. Smart business are aware of this and understand that instead of shouting they are now in the game of listening. Your best business marketing will occur when you give your prospects and customers the opportunity to pull information from you. Allow them to use the tools to reply, engage and give their opinion. Critically these replies will be in the public domain and shared by others.

Don’t worry there will always be time to start your own conversations, but the secret to success in social media is in entering into existing conversations as much as possible. Thus you should be continually listening to your community and working out where you can had value by responding to a discussion already taking place online.

Enter Existing Conversations

There’s so much opportunity online for the local business and large corporations alike to create real relationships within their community. Social media allows you to reach out to people when they are having their own conversation and if appropriate give your own opinion.

There are a number of reasons why nobody likes to be cold called, but one important one relates to the fact that the person you are calling is simply not talking about the topic you want them to focus on at the time you make the call. Now imagine cold calling when they were having the exact conversation you would like to start with them. See the difference. Of course there is no way that this can really consistently happen offline, but online we have the tools to do exactly this. Thus when you enter the conversation, it’s on their terms. They are open to your comments. It is on their terms and not on yours. You are seen as the friendly advisor rather than the pushy salesman.

Winning by Caring

Ultimately though the way forward in truly becoming a social company offline and online is by caring. Caring has and will always be key to success. When you take the time to listen you are truly showing you care.

Too many businesses believe success simply equates to how many fans you have on Faceboook or how many followers you have on Twitter. Collecting fans, followers and subscribers is a fallacy. Consider the action of following someone, it doesn’t take much, tapping a link is hardly a friendship. It can be considered a connection, but anything more and you will have to work at the relationship. Imagine the scenario of hosting a cocktail party, but then having invited everyone you decide not to talk to anyone at the party. Sounds weird doesn’t it? You wouldn’t contemplate doing it would you. The natural inclination would be to talk to as many people as possible, because surely that is why you invited them. Sadly this is exactly what many businesses do online. They set up a Facebook Fanpage, write a comment on it and then never reply to anyone that replies back. There is essentially no commitment to enter into any form of conversation.

Don’t be that person or business!

Learn to be the one who listens and cares, it makes absolute business sense and it’s the right thing to do.