By far, one of the biggest draws to social media is the ability to expand your “reach” in your market. Social media helps create awareness for causes, and it gives us the ability to connect with others.
It is no secret that social media has revolutionized how we all do business – from communicating with vendors to marketing our products and services to customers. But there is a side of social media that can be destructive to your business if you aren’t careful. Many businesses leap into social media without really thinking about their actions. They talk only about themselves in a “look at me” fashion. It’s as if they stumbled into a networking event and started handing out business cards (and we’ve all been at events with THAT guy!).
The truth is people expect more from you. When they login to Facebook after a long day at work, they don’t want to be marketed to; they want to connect with you. They want your business to be a “friend” – a resource where they can find fun and solutions. What they don’t want is you “shouting” out sales and promotion. That is a sure bet that they will disconnect with you.
Social media is not about shoving your message down other peoples’ throats. You wouldn’t do that offline, so why do it online?
Some ways you can use social media to connect with others include:
- Share your blog posts in a useful fashion and invite people to give you feedback.
- Ask an engaging question like: What is a question you have about painting your home?
- Invite people to subscribe to your e-newsletter … and publish it regularly with useful information.
- Post “How-To” videos so homeowners can properly tackle painting projects on their own (they’re going to anyway; why not give them some guidance). One idea: How to properly apply painter’s tape to avoid bleeds.
- Share ideas, tools and products from other blogs and online sources
Those are just five ideas … there are dozens out there to start interacting with your audience and building those meaningful connections. To be successful online is to be focused on others. Be helpful and have one-on-one conversations. Social media makes these possible.
Perhaps Mark Buckston said it best in a recent Construction Marketing Ideas blog post:
“Social media can enhance your existing relationships, induce referrals from friends and acquaintances, allow you to showcase your human side, and in some cases, provide intelligence and insights into potential clients and decision-makers.”
Social media is about truly connecting with people – one person at a time. It starts with building your likeability, reliability and overall trust with them, and once that meaningful connection occurs, your business can grow.
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