Building Relationships Online

Happy Valentine’s Day! Seems like a great time to discuss relationships…

So you have a sleek website and social-media presence, right? Oh, and tons of followers, too. Even so, on a scale of one to 10, how do you measure your online relationships?

It’s no longer enough to have a fabulous website and your toes dipped into social media. Branding your business online has a lot more to do with interaction. You can build successful relationships online with the use of these tactics…

• Build relationships by commenting. Don’t just start the conversation…add to it! When you open up the floor for discussion, be prepared to have answers to your questions or insightful comments to keep the conversation flowing.
• Remember to listen. Building a relationship requires that you listen more and talk less. Social media allows you to get real reactions from your customers, so take the time to read their comments or replies to your blogs. Trust us, listening can go a long way!
• Be you. “Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.” Dr. Seuss had the right idea when he said this. Every successful and healthy relationship is built off of trust. Let your employees, team members and reps of your brand be who they are. Lying, deceiving or creating fake content will catch up with you…so be real!
• Monitor your social media. Once you’ve posted, check back frequently to see what people are saying. Not only will this allow you to communicate early and ward off any bad storms, but will also help you see where the conversation is headed.
• Do it often. Whether you prefer blogs, open forums, Facebook posts, or tweets, get out there and communicate! When you generate content often, your customers grow trust in you and your ability to post the valuable information that they are looking for. You will also have the chance to beat your competition by getting a jump-start on hot topics in your industry.

Need more help building relationships online? Reach out to us!