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Communication is easier than ever before. We carry amazing phones that are miniature computers in our pockets. We have desktops and laptops from which we Skype, instant message, email and keep in touch on the social networks. We build communities on our websites. We have followers, subscribers, and commenters.
The world is connected in so many ways you’d think reaching your audience would be a no-brainer, right?
On one hand, it is. Blog links get posted on Facebook, G+, Twitter and Linked In. Fans and followers subscribe to your automated newsletter or RSS feed and get your message delivered right into their inboxes.
But it’s also more difficult. There’s a lot of noise out there. After a while, everyone starts to sound the same. Readers ignore the links and delete the newsletters without opening them up. No one comments on your blog. You start wondering if anyone is listening at all.
With the rise of communications, small business owners spreading their messages have to find a way that makes them stand above the clogged interwebs.
The Circle of Life
When Wendi and I started blogging, we and everyone in our niche discovered how powerful a blog could be as a tool for launching a business. This means of reaching new clients on a more personal level was The Way. It was the new, unique voice rising above the static websites and lengthy sales pages.
We had large communities and our blogs’ comment sections always had over a hundred comments by day’s end.
Now, ten or fifteen years later, the market is flooded again. We’ve gone from “talking to” potential clients, to “talking at”. Information is great, but too much of it becomes boring. We take ourselves too seriously. We lose the connection.
It’s time for the pendulum to swing back the other way. We need some fun.
Hi, My Name Is…
What better way to have fun than go to a party, right? When you go to a party, you go to meet old friends and make new ones.
Reaching your audience and getting a response from them is no different. The worst thing you could do is come out of the gate, waving fistfuls of business cards and shouting “Buy my product!”
Nobody likes that.
Think about a more realistic scenario. What usually happens when you go to a party? You start by connecting with your old friends. You talk for a bit, get caught up on old times, then they spot someone else they know. They wave them over and introduce you. A new conversation begins.
Or you may find yourself standing by the buffet. The person makes a comment about how much he loves shrimp, and what a coincidence—you do too! A conversation starts up and you find you both have more in common. The more you talk, the more you discover both of your businesses could benefit from one another.
The same methods work online. Nobody likes the obnoxious member in any group or forum whose only means of conversation is “Buy my latest widget!”.
True, the social approach takes longer, but taking your time getting to know the people you’re connecting with makes for a much more enriching experience for everyone involved. People learn to trust you, you build credibility. They want to know more about you. They realize, oh, hey, this person has a service I need, let me ask them about what they can do for me.
It’s part business, part friendship. It’s the connection that builds strong client bases, keeps the clients returning and makes them feel good about referring you out to their friends.
The next time you find yourself frustrated and wondering why no one is paying attention to your message, ask yourself if you’re putting forth enough effort to make a connection first. Are you talking at or talking to?