Tag: #RelationshipsMatter

#RelationshipsMatter – Who is in Your Tribe?

Deciding how much of your limited resources to dedicate to social media can be a difficult decision. It’s clear that you need to be doing something, but it’s not enough to simply throw up some posts, and off you go. To use social media to grow your business, you need to incorporate strategy into your social media. That means that you’ll have a reason for what you do, what platforms you take advantage of, and what kind of content you post.

You may not have given much thought to the people who are in your social media network, but you should. The people you connect with regularly are your tribe. In other words, they are your community, the people who make you successful. So if you don’t have a good idea of who these people are and what makes them unique, now is the perfect time to learn more about them, strengthen your relationships, and show your gratitude.

So now that you’ve decided that this is the right time to learn more about your tribe and let them know how much you appreciate them, let’s talk about how you might go about that.

  • Ask them – Face it, these aren’t just your social media contacts; they are the people that help you do what you do, and you need to know as much about them as you can. If you feel like you don’t know enough about your tribe, then reach out. Once you know more, you can make decisions about what you post on social media to give your tribe what they need to make their jobs (and lives) easier.
  • Talk to them – Effective use of social media is all about engagement, and to be engaged you need to have interactive exchanges. It’s not enough to post content; comment, reply, and talk with your community.
  • Say thank you – When you show gratitude to the members of your community, you let them know how important they are to you. There are many ways to show your appreciation, not the least of which is to simply say thank you.
  • Share with them – Of course, you need to share content, but you can also share your influence by passing along information about them, the content they have produced, or other information that can help them succeed.
  • Be consistent – Your community needs you to be consistent. That means you have a plan, and to make sure your message stays the same no matter what platform you are using.

Engaging with your tribe effectively takes planning and execution. If you aren’t already doing this well, then it is probably a good idea to consult with a professional. The Social Media Advisor can help. Their social media analysis can jump start your effort and help ensure that you are taking the right steps in getting to know your tribe and strengthening your relationship with all the members of your community.

Be sure to Follow us and Let’s Engage!

Hollie Clere of The Social Media Advisor is a “#BeAwesome” Developer, Social Media, Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Google+, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, and the tools to manage them.

Click here for Social Media Training, Speaking and Strategy Consultations.

#ShareYourMessage – What is Relationship Marketing in Social Media?

Relationship marketing is all about creating and maintaining engagement with your customers. If social media is an essential element of your marketing strategy, then that probably sounds familiar since that’s precisely the same thing that success on social media means—engagement.

Both relationship marketing and social media are about the long game, creating strong connections to you, your company, and your brand so that customers think of you first when the type of product or service you offer is needed. Not only are you top of mind, but you are also trusted so that your customers become your advocates. That means referrals, positive reviews, and new leads.

If that sounds good to you, then you need to start thinking about your social media strategy with relationships in mind. But how? Here are five sure-fire ways to use social media as part of your relationship marketing strategy.

Speak the Same Language As Your Customers

When you interact with your social media community, you want to be a human, not a corporation. That means you need to relate like a person, not a bot.

Encourage (or ASK) Your Customers To Provide Feedback Via Your Social Media Pages 

There is nothing wrong with asking for a review or a comment. Once you ask, be prepared to respond regardless of whether the feedback is positive or negative.

Think Fast And Respond Quickly  

You should not only be accessible, but you should be timely. That means reacting right away, not a week from now. Remember, you are working to establish a relationship and relationships require give and take.

Show Your Gratitude

Social media is a great place to say “Thank you!” and to tell your customers how much you appreciate them. Whether that’s by simply saying it or by offering a gift or discount to your best customers, depends on your goals. Regardless of how you choose to do it, let your customers know what they do to contribute to your success.

Be A Village

It’s not enough to have good one-on-one relationships with your customers. You need to build a community. Whether it’s a select group just for customers, sponsoring local get-togethers, or establishing a special online place for conversation, your goal is to connect with your customers and help them connect with each other.

There are many great reasons to establish strong relationships with your customers. It’s easy to think of the business reasons — more sales, better referrals, more repeat business. But there are also reasons for you personally, particularly for small business where you are likely to interact with your customers personally. Happy customers can mean higher job satisfaction, healthy interaction, and less stress. So what are you waiting for? Get started on your relationship marketing strategy now.

Be sure to Follow us and Let’s Engage!

Hollie Clere of The Social Media Advisor is a “#BeAwesome” Developer, Social Media, Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Google+, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, and the tools to manage them.

Click here for Social Media Training, Speaking and Strategy Consultations.

#RelationshipsMatter – Remove These Words from Your Social Media!


Social media can be a minefield to transverse. You want to make friends and share your opinions without coming across poorly. Even if you feel strongly about a topic, depending on the wording you use, you may come across far stronger than you imagined. To avoid this, there are certain words in which you should remove from your social media vocabulary.
Hate – such a strong word for dislike. If it is a regular word you use, then stop! Regular use of the word can have you coming across as an angry, or cynical person. It can even bleed in to other aspects of your life by creating a more hateful attitude towards the world. Other phrases such as ‘I don’t like…’ can be politer and still clear on your feelings about the topic. 
Why don’t you… – This is one of those phrases that makes a person feel they are failing in some way. We all think differently and have different experiences, so there are those who may not know of a different way to do things than they currently do. Pointing this out by saying ‘why don’t you…’ can have a negative impact on the original poster. Using the phrase ‘Have you considered…’ is a more positive phrase as it suggests rather than demands.
With all due respect – You know as soon as you hear that phrase the following words are going to be disrespectful. They instantly put the reader on edge and awaiting something negative and critical. Consider the words about to follow that phrase, and if they truly need saying –is there a more respectful and considerate way of putting them?
The only ______ you need – The question is, is it really the only thing of its kind out there? This phrase begs for people to challenge you and prove you wrong. Many people use this phrase when selling their products or services but often don’t consider the negative impact on business if several others piped up with the exact same product/service to prove you wrong.
Slang – If it’s a professional page, unless it is directed related to your brand messaging, avoid trendy words such as fleek and bae and turnt. Not only will it confuse a portion of your audience, you could damage your credibility. 
Cutting out these words, and phrases, from your social media vocabulary can present you as a more respectful and professional business or entity while still allowing you to share your thoughts publically. Practice making changes to social vocabulary and notice the change in your interactions with others. 
 
Be sure to Follow us and Let’s Engage!
Hollie Clere of The Social Media Advisor is a “#BeAwesome” Developer, Social Media, Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Google+,YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and the tools to manage them.

 

#RelationshipMatters – Being Compassionate Instead of Judgmental in Social Media



We are all judgmental in some way. Think about it: we see someone, and based on their looks or actions, we judge them. Not necessarily a good judgment, either. It often happens without even knowing the other person. The problem is we become judgmental to feel better about ourselves in the short term. However, being compassionate with individuals instead leads to greater, long-term rewards.
Let’s look at social media as an example. Using social media allows us to express ourselves and provide our perspective, yet sometimes our comments can come across as being judgmental. This sets you up to be critiqued by others in turn.  It is easier to forget about the very real, living being on the other side of the screen. It is a vicious cycle and the only way to get out of it is to demonstrate compassionate behavior that others will want to copy.
How can you be compassionate on social media rather than judgmental? Here are some simple tips.
If you can’t say something nice, say nothing at all – This old adage is one we all heard growing up whenever we said something mean to another person. It is a concept to keep in mind when interacting on social media as well. Before hitting submit, think about whether or not it is a comment you would like to receive. If the answer is no, then it is best to not send it. The same goes for your own posts, flip the script and imagine it was directed at you instead.
“If you can’t think of anything nice to say, you’re not thinking hard enough.” Kid President

Watch your language – If you truly want to share your opinion and help someone, consider the way in which it is presented. Instead of telling the individual what they must do, suggest how you might do it instead. Avoid using words that are overtly negative, patronizing, or demanding. Instead use phrases such as ‘I find using such and such easier’ or ‘Personally, I prefer…’ this way you are demonstrating what suits you while providing them an alternative option.  The use of “I” statements is an effective technique in conflict resolution because it forces people to examine their own feelings and actions instead of pointing a finger at another.
Accept we are all different – What might work for you will not necessarily work for someone else. Why make them feel wrong for not doing things the same way as you?  For example, someone has chosen to use a particular system and is looking for help on it. Rather than tell them how the system you use is far superior, provide a few tips on making their current system easier to use. Perhaps they chose to do something for their own reasons or circumstances, which are probably far different than yours.
Once you are aware of behavior that comes across as judgmental you can start to change it into more compassionate behavior instead. Not only will you come across as a nicer person, but people will be less judgmental of you in return.

“Be somebody that makes everybody feel like a somebody.” Kid President


Be sure to Follow us and Let’s Engage!
Hollie Clere of The Social Media Advisor is a “#BeAwesome” Developer, Social Media, Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Google+,YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and the tools to manage them.

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