If
you believe that social media is a fad or the end of face to face
communications as we know it. In both instances you may be wrong. Yes of course
the technological changes all around us, have changed the business and social landscape.
Bear in mind that social media is only one small part of those changes, which
if used properly, will most certainly be to your advantage. Ok, so if social
media presents us with so many potential advantages, how can you turn the
feeling of overwhelm, into something useful?
Taking advantage of Social
Media
Action Idea: I have written this article, detailing four simple
steps, to take you from an uncomfortable to a place, to a new place where
social media can become a really powerful business tool. I will guide you to
use your strengths to leverage the most from this medium. So whether you are
better at writing paragraphs, or you are an expert at pinning things to virtual
bulletin boards or you have a flare for making videos, there is scope for you
to use social media to your advantage. The key is to play to your strengths and
to work to attract a tribe of loyal followers.
Step 1: Clearly understand what you sell and then identify a
tribe of individuals, who would want exactly that. Your tribe is effectively
the group of people, who you would want to positively influence, with your
thoughts and offerings. The best way to align yourself with the right tribe is
to discover a group, who align with you in three key areas. You must know what
their challenges are and that you have the right solution for them, you must
really want to help and support them, you must want to give and receive value
from them.
Examples:
- If you are a real estate agent, your tribe may be community members, who may be or will be looking to buy residential property.
- If you are a dentist, your tribe may consist of current patients and local community members, who can become new patients.
- If you are a small business owner, your tribe may be current customers, anyone who needs what you sell or anyone, who can influence them.
As
you build a strong tribe and you consistently offer them value, the
relationship of trust will grow and they will begin to trust both you and your
organisation.
Step 2: Get a voice. To effectively use social media, you need
a voice or persona, which reflects, who you are or who you want to be seen as, by
anyone, who bumps into you, online. These people may never meet you for coffee
or even walk into your store. Your tribe will get to know you by your posts, videos,
comments and discussions you get involved in. Your style and the voice you use,
will either pull people in and engage them or if it is wrong for that
particular tribe, even potentially push them away.
Action Idea: When building your voice, think about what your tribe
would love to hear. What will make them like what you have to say and return to
listen day after day? As is the case in the face to face world, your voice will
grow as you learn more and apply your knowledge, by putting great content online.
The best advice when speaking online is to always be authentic, personable and
approachable.
Step 3: Go to where you tribe already meet. Remember that every
group, which you are trying to engage and positively influence already goes
somewhere to hang out, in the social media ether. To be really successful on
social media, you need to find out exactly where that is. The best success is
to start looking for them on the big three forums, namely LinkedIn, Facebook
and Twitter. Go to where your communities already are and plant your flag, so
that people will spot you and begin to huddle round.
Step 4: Start today: Remember that social media tribes build on
themselves, never by themselves. Discover the right community, plant your flag,
start a relevant conversation to attract members of the right tribe and then
gradually bring people back to your tent. Work your way systematically through
these four steps and you will begin to build a perfect tribe of loyal followers
and build a community, which will buy what you have to sell.
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