How do you use these tools for GOOD??
Over and over again, conversations around the power of Social Media consistently boil down to this question: how do you make money from all that time you’re spending on Facebook (or LinkedIn, or Twitter, et al?). Well?
Here’s my answer: use your time to LISTEN. And then, when you start to see patterns — like a specific need or challenge that people are voicing repeatedly — figure out how to create a product or service that will answer it.
Case in point: My Social Media 101 workshop. How did this workshop happen? I kept seeing folks asking the same kinds of questions over and over: How do I use Facebook (or LinkedIn, et al) effectively as a business promotional tool? How can I make it do this for me? How can I make it do that for me? Sound familiar?
Seeing this pattern, I quickly scheduled a 2-hour workshop for newbies and invited all my friends who I thought might want to attend. (Note: I didn’t just blanket invite everyone). And I didn’t limit that invitation to Facebook or LinkedIn. I also sent out an e-mail invitation (because contrary to what you may think, everyone in the world is NOT using social media…yet). The class filled so quickly (in two days) that I had to schedule another one.
The key is that you don’t start from the point of trying to sell something to someone. People don’t like to be sold to – they prefer to buy things when it serves them.
Until then, you are ALWAYS in the relationship-building mode. Pretend you are at a cocktail party. You are there to have conversations and create new relationships.
Some of the other things you might want to do with your various social media tools:
- Consider and apply the unwritten rules of offline relationship building to online (e.g. don’t ask people to visit your home or marry you right off the bat – they’ll think you’re weird!)
- Conduct casual market research – ask questions that pertain to your industry. If you want to get fancy, there are even 3rd party apps that will integrate with FB so you can poll folks on a specific topic.
- Invite people to other events – promote offline venues for your friends to come and see you
- Integrate your efforts with all the other marketing you do (it doesn’t exist on its own)
- Share your knowledge and know-how. Be who YOU are in a generous way.
- Let people know the (really) cool things you’re up to (e.g. when you sign a new, high profile client, or wrap up a project for high profile client)
- Create a balance between business messages/questions, and personal messages/questions (especially on Facebook!)
Have more ideas? I invite you to share them here.
Need more ideas? Come to my Social Media 101 workshop on May 12.
