Seven Ways to Build Communities and Rouse Results With Social Media


Seven Ways to Build Communities and Rouse Results With Social Media

With a multitude of options (social networking, blogs, bookmarking, social search) there's no shortage of information and commentary out there about how marketers should engage with social media to generate new business.

At the end of the day social media business conversations should be just that-open, honest, transparent conversations, not sales pitches or shouting competitions.

While social media can serve as a way to open up new business conversations, it's the relevant content you create that makes the connections and builds the communities.

If used properly, social media tools (i.e. Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and the like), can prove to be invaluable in your effort to enhance and facilitate social interaction and build communities

But be thoughtful about it.

Interact with your audience in a targeted, generous way and social media can certainly be a vehicle for lead generation, nurturing and conversion.

And always remember... people do business with people they know, like and trust. And building that takes time.

Here are 7 Ways to Build Communities and Rouse Results with Social Media:

(These are by no means earth shattering, but are certainly worth repeating again and again...)

1. Be Strategic by Being Selective - Make sure you are reaching the audience you want to "build community" with. This doesn't mean you can't connect with others outside your desired community.

But it also doesn't mean following everyone that follows you on Twitter or trying to build a huge LinkedIn network just to build it... There's only finite hours in the day-use them wisely.

2. Be Focused - Remember why you are engaging in the social media space in the first place. Don't just follow the herd because "everyone" is doing it. Social media can work very well as a thought-sharing, community building medium, but to reiterate point #1, this is only if you have some kind of strategy.

3. Be Informative - Share helpful information, blog posts, tips, insights, and re-tweets with your audience. This does not mean you "direct message" contacts and spam them with how great you, your product, services and business are.

4. Be Consistent - In the social media space, consistency is key. If you can help it, don't allow the flow of communication with your community to suddenly stop when you get busy with other things. Create a schedule to help you engage regularly with your social media community.

5. Be Generous - Use your "social media" time wisely. For Pete's sake, do not make it all about YOU. Invest in your connections by answer questions, sending complimentary replies and giving kudos when someone starts a thought-provoking conversation.

6. Be Genuine - Share your honest commentary, but offer insightfulness and value in your responses. Don't just spend all your time re-tweeting what's "hot."

7. Be Collaborative - Observe your community and really listen to what they are talking about. And don't forget to @reply!


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