Another point commonly mistaken about Social Networking is that community's rarely, if ever, form to talk about products. Instead, social networks are formed to help people solve problems or challenges they are facing or even for people to interact with one another to accomplish similar goals. As a business owner, you must realize that a social network is about the people, not you or your goals. Just as when you are at a party, no one wants to hear you talk about yourself. People will instantly run away. Instead, you must ask questions and interact with people on their terms.
Social networks are also constantly changing. By human nature, people will migrate to where other people are located. A perfect example of this is MySpace. In the early 2000's, MySpace was a powerhouse on the web but within a few years, almost all the members migrated to Facebook which is now the big player in the game. The point here is that you must always be humble because a Community is a gift, not a right. If you get over confident about your community, people may very well leave before you have time to blink. You must be a participant and representative of your company rather than think you're the owner and listen to your people as they share their thoughts and feelings about their needs; not yours.
Listening is the most important skill you must learn in order to be successful in business. If you fail in this area, you will fail as a business owner because there's no doubt that your competition is going to beat you. It will just be a matter of time before you're business fails. Also, when people share their thoughts or join your community, you must always acknowledge them as a human being and a participant. Thank them and let them know that you are a person who cares. With technology and the ability to automate mundane tasks, the personal human touch is oftentimes lost and people have become very frustrated customers. Oftentimes, just letting people know you're listening, a potentially explosive situation can be defused within minutes even if you don't solve the person's problem each and every time.
When you join or create a community, you must equip your customers with the necessary tools to become successful rather than to sell to them. You must also be the expert they turn to when they have a question, concern, or comment. Once you begin to do this, you will be amazed at the results. Your business can grow exponentially just by talking to people as people rather than just a dollar sign. People know that you want to acquire their business, but as Jeffrey Gitomer - America's #1 sales authority - has personally trademarked, "People don't like to be sold, but they love to buy!" Once you embrace this mindset and focus on value, you will be amazed at the results you get from your current and future customers.
Here's the 10 Steps to be repeated time and time again for you and your company to be successful with Social Networking:
- Listen.
- Find them where they are.
- Determine what they want.
- Decide if you join their community or make one. or both.
- Introduce yourself.
- Invite them.
- Ask them for goals and hopes.
- Share yours.
- Begin the journey.
- Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
