Building Strong Relationships with Social Media

Social Media can enhance brand awareness and engage your current and potential customers.  Sites like Facebook, Twitter, and blogs should be used to develop relationships rather then funnel direct sales. 

Social Media sites help to develop trust which leads to strong relationships creating more loyal customers.  There are four components to strengthening relationships: time, intensity, trust and reciprocity.

Time:

It takes time to cultivate strong relationships.  Just because you have several sites up and running, doesn't mean new business calls will be coming in non-stop.  However, by placing your brand consistently in front of your customers and prospects, when it comes time to make a purchase, your odds of winning the sale are greatly increased.  It's a game of patience that has paid off for many.

Intensity:

You can create a higher degree of emotional strength between you and your customers by being honest and genuine.  Intensity can also be increased with customer testimonials.

Trust:

Become your customer's trusted source for topics like industry news, product reviews and tips related to your business.  Your brand will be greatly enhanced by establishing your business as a reliable resource.  Keep your sites up-to-date, posting at least once a week.  Also be sure to keep your topics current.

Reciprocity:

Let your customer's have a voice.  A claim of outstanding service is better received if it's posted by your customer rather than yourself.  Also this plays into the trust between your customer and their friends.  A person is more likely to choose a product or service recommended by their friends or family.

Other tips:

Create fun Calls to Action.  Ask engaging questions rather then posting facts, create contests that require your customers to do something and reply to any inquires or comments in a timely manner.

Some Thoughts on Social Media

I get such a tickle out of the Best Buy commercial which features all the updated gadgets available merely minutes after purchase.  If you haven't had the pleasure, click here.

It's one of those instances in which it's funny because it's true.  Technology is rapidly changing and so is the evolution of marketing on the internet.  I remember looking at Facebook for the first time and being unimpressed with it's primitive platform.  Now this network is taking over the web and our time.  Based on a 2009 Nielsen Report, there was an 82% increase in global time spent on Social Media sites with continued growth.

I've also read articles which give the bold statement that if your business isn't participating in Social Media then you'll be out of business in next 5 years.  Wow, that's pretty brash.   I can't say that I agree with that statement but I do see how using Social Media as a promotion vehicle could be extremely beneficial in connecting with potential clients.

Just like the Best Buy commercial, however, Social Media is constantly upgrading and changing.  For those of us who don't spend several hours a day researching trends like the Google +1 or Facebook's new "Places" feature, could easily fall behind.

I also think a difficult hurdle is realizing that even though we don't understand it, marketing practices are changing to parallel with what's getting attention.  I will always argue with my 15 yr old niece that Michael Jackson is 5 billion times better then Selena Gomez, I can't however argue that her manager is laughing all the way to the bank.

Twitter is my Selena.  Although I could be less interested and have no clue why others find it entertaining, there are 75 million users worldwide and therefore a great place to promote.  So yes I have a Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn account with countless others being developed everyday.  I'd also like to congratulate any of you who have also joined the every changing world of Social Media, it is no easy task!

Dressing for the Professional World (For the Ladies)

My creative flare helps me form innovative concepts but continuously leads me astray when choosing professional attire.  I don't have that keen sense of style especially when faced with which tweed suit would look the best on someone in their twenties.  It's difficult to browse any department store for something that will impress the bosses but won't make me feel like I'm buying an outfit my mom would rock.

If this sounds familiar I found a great article that features some simple "Do's" and "Don'ts" to keep in mind.  I'll have some work cut out for me to keep my behavior off of the "Don'ts" list.  Oh giant filigree earrings, you are my weakness!

Sometimes Your Clothing Says More than You Do
The way you dress speaks volumes about who you are as a person and as a business communicator. Let's face it, clothes talk. Whenever you enter a room for the first time, it takes only a few seconds for people you've never met to form perceptions about you and your abilities. You don't have to utter a word; people peg you one way if you're dressed in black leather, another if you're squeezed into gold lamé, and yet another if you're sporting a classic suit. Regardless of who you really are, your clothes and body language always speak first.

First Things First

Some of the perceptions people can form solely from your appearance are:

• Your professionalism.
• Your level of sophistication.
• Your intelligence.
• Your credibility.

Whether these perceptions are real or imagined, they underscore how your appearance instantly influences the opinions of strangers, peers, and superiors. Being well dressed in a corporate setting can influence not just perceptions, but also promotions.

Do's and Don'ts to survive the formal dress code.

DO:

§         Always look professional

§         Dress for the audience, the circumstance, the corporate culture, and yourself

§         Wear clothes that fit

§         Make sure your clothes are pressed

§         Keep jackets buttoned (formal)

§         Err on the side of conservative

§         Keep your hair neat and trimmed

§         Mild (or no) fragrances

§         Wear heels (up to 1 1/2" to 2"), with a high vamp, with formal attire

§         Hose should be skin color or darker (carry an extra pair when presenting)

§         Conservative business make-up, stressing the mouth and eyes more if presenting

§         Check for lipstick on your teeth

§         Simple manicure

DON'T:

§         Wear clothes that talk louder than you do

§         Undo too many buttons on your blouse

§         Wear clothing that no longer fits

§         Wear wrinkled clothing

§         Fabrics that have a noticeable sheen from wear

§         Hair that falls in your face or obscures your eyebrows

§         Hair that requires continual adjustment

§         Fragrance that smells from a distance

§         ID badges when you're presenting

§         Busy patterns

§         Anything too bright, tight, sheer or short

§         Toe cleavage (open-toed shoes)

§         Heels so high you're unsteady

§         Light hose or light shoes

§         Too much makeup

§         Wear big, shiny buckles or jewelry

§         Earrings that are large or dangle

§         Bangle bracelets (or else anything noisy)

Copywrite: EGC Inc. Source: PS for Business Communicators

Adding Social Media Links to Your Outlook Signature

Your email signature is a great place to include promotions and links to your Social Media sites.  Taking a few minutes to customize your signature can help you reach a broader audience with minimum effort.

Adding Social Media logos to your signature gives you that extra flare however there are potential issues with using graphics.  While consulting with my IT lead, he brought up an issue I never thought of.  It is possible that graphics will show up as a red X to your recipient based on their network settings and filters, which looks unprofessional.

Some companies use specific settings to eliminate high usage of space on their servers or to block out potential spam.  Our solution has been to add links to our Social Media sites rather then images.  Yes, not as flashy but it gets the job done.

To do this in Outlook, follow these simple steps:

• Go to "Tools" & select "Options"
• Under the "Mail Format" Tab click on "Signatures"- This will bring up your current settings and allow you to "Edit"
• Once in "Edit" mode, add the text you would like to serve as a link (i.e. Like Us on Facebook!) 
• Then highlight your text, right click, and select "Edit Hyperlink"
• Make sure that the type is http: and then you can enter the URL, click OK
• Click OK a couple more times and you're good to go!