You gotta reach out and touch someone.
You remember the ad campaign, from the 80's that AT&T did, the message is simple, reach out and touch someone...
Well that is the message with this newsletter.
It's been a bit of a bugaboo for me for a while, especially since this "online social marketing craze" has taken hold.
Yes, even I have people following me on Twitter and truth is...I am not that interesting. Sometimes on Sunday's I don't shower until I hit the gym and that may not be until the early afternoon, so follow me at your own risk.
Plus I am following people on Twitter that I hardly know. How is someone in the States going to sell me a mortgage in Canada?
I now have over 500 friends on Facebook and truth is, I don't hear from all of them and a lot I haven't met and I am not sure I have a ton in common with them.
Don't get me started on Linked In...does that even work? Someone wants to connect with you on Linked in...that's what my email said. I wonder why they want too? Is it about quantity of people you know or is it the quality?
As I move forth into this new year, I am choosing something different. I want quality. I want to foster close personal business and professional relationships and hanging out online on Facebook, Linked in and Twitter is a glorious waste of time.
Ok, maybe an hour or two a week, but that's all.
This isn't to say that Facebook and these social marketing sites don't have benefit. Gosh, Facebook has connected the world and has become the leading communications tool for all of us globally!
But, from a marketing point of view... and you getting clients and building sustainable, long term personal relationships, it's not that great.
Why you ask? Because you know the answer. If you are using these sites, how many hours online does it take to convert these connections/friends/tweets into a paying client?
It takes forever and that's if you're lucky.
My time on these sites just doesn't yield enough results to make it pay.
So, here is my game plan for 2010...you can follow along with me or not...
1) I am going to phone my clients more often in the hopes to see them
2) I want to have more coffee meetings in person with my colleagues and clients
3) I want to send thank you cards and really "personally touch" them, rather than send an email
4) I am going to email less
5) When I call a colleague or a client I am going see how they how life is treating them
6) The time I waste online...I am going to read a book and learn how to be better at what I do
7) I am narrowing down and focusing on who I want to do business with
8) I am going to meditate at night and visualize, rather than visualize my computer screen as I watch what people are "Twittering" about
9) I am going to sell the old fashion way, in person, checking for needs, wants, hopes and goals and providing rock solid solutions
10) I am going to remember that no one ever cut a check or a p.o. (purchase order) over the phone or online. You have to reach out and touch someone.
I always remember my father saying, "you're to be seen and not heard". Not good advice for a kid who became a radio show host and facilitator, teaching small business owners...
So my advice to you is to get out there, shake hands, meet people, talk, dialogue with people, be creative about it too!
For example, when was the last time you had a dinner party, or a games night with friends? When was the last time you had a meaningful town hall meeting, or a discussion group at Church, your Mosque or Synagogue.
The key to surviving and thriving in these times is to build community and not lose spend your life online.
So get out there and make things happen...and touch someone!
Cheers/David
2 comments:
Well you had to know that I was going to comment on this one David!
In as much as I believe that the personal touch is desirable and most effective, there's no arguing that it's far less efficient, at least from my end of the universe.
Once a social media campaign is properly setup, so that updates are syndicated automatically, sending a daily update is as fast and easy as sending an email, and tracking the source of all new business as I do has shown me that it's more likely to come from friends of friends, than any ad I've ever placed. Word of mouth has always been my best source of long term business. It provides me with prospects that are generally the right fit too!
I spend 2-4 hours per week communicating with my social media friends, and pick up 1-2 new customers a week on average this past six months.
Unfortunately I've not had the same success trying to add new website talent who can say what they do, then do what they say.
In my mind it's always made sense to invest your communications budget where your ideal customer invests their time.
Here are some interesting stats I uncovered recently while preparing to deliver my Social Media 101 presentation for Economic Development Council of Ontario conference:
Social networks and blogs are 4th most popular activity - beating email!
77% of active internet users read blogs
67% of global users visit member communities
10% of all time spent on the Internet is on social media sites
If myspace were a country it would be the 5th largest in the world
100 million facebook users log in at least once per day
300 million facebook users log in at least once per month.
Okay, I'll stop ranting now LOL.
I am going to be short and sweet. I agree with David about all the people who want to be your friend and most of them I wouldn't know if they fell in my soup. I'm glad I'm not the only one who does quite understand the usefulness of Linked In. How many social media websites do you need to belong to? I like Facebook because I can get a glimpse at what people are doing and how interesting or not, their lifes are. I don't like it because I spend too much time when I have other more important things to do.
Setting up a social media campaign sounds like a great idea. Would anyone pay attention?
That's my thoughts for today. I've got to go read a book.
P.S. If you need a mortgage in Canada, I can help you out.
Deborah da Silva,
Mortgage Agent with RMA
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