I often hear people say social or digital media is a waste of time. According to who? The power of social media is highly underrated. It offers a perfect chance for people to see who you are and what you are passionate about. For me, it’s an opportunity to share views on business, networking and financial planning – my passions.
I also believe social media is perfect for building trust and finding referrals. Take for example the case of our new client. My accountant referred him to me about two years ago, but we found it hard to connect as he was busy travelling. I contacted him through LinkedIn, sending him a personal message, and connected with his partner too, who I had not met.
Over the next two years, the articles, comments and updates I made and liked appeared in his and his partners’ LinkedIn newsfeeds. If they weren’t into social media they wouldn’t see this, but I know that they were interested enough to check my profile several times. We would connect every couple of months via phone or email and they would also see my updates.
Eventually, the timing was right and we made an appointment to meet. When they came into the office, they said: “We felt like we knew you due to the continuous contact, thank you for keeping in touch”. Now, they are great clients and very happy I stayed in touch through social media.
My tips for great relationship building through social media include:
- Include a photo and complete your profile. People are curious and will want to see who you are, what you do and why they should connect.
- Send a personal message to someone when you first connect on LinkedIn.
- Engage in conversation. Start, join and enjoy. It’s called ‘social’ media for a reason.
- See who has viewed your profile. Send them a message to connect, as you never know where it might lead.
- Personalise any re-tweets or links by adding your own comments. It adds value and helps people understand why you are sharing the information.
- Always thank people for re-tweets or for following you. It’s common courtesy.
- Have fun!
Essentially, social media removes the barrier between your personal and business face. It also helps keep potential clients closer to you. The ultimate goal is for people to invite you to have a coffee or for them to come and see you.
Why not give it a try? Can your business afford not to be using social media?
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