And I’ll tell you upfront that I’m not going to focus on how to get more likes on your facebook page, more followers on Twitter or more views on YouTube, but how to use these channels to acquire the most valuable commodity – trust. And this is something that is not always easy to gain online.
So how do we do this? How can we use Social Media to build strong relationships and gain trust? We are all under pressure to produce great content, get more followers get more people to like us. It’s like being in high-school again where everything is a popularity contest. We have lost focus on the most valuable component here, and that is benevolence. The desire to help others and provide value. As social creatures, this is what releases those chemicals in our brain that make us feel good.
Let’s explore how and why we need to stay focused on this in all of our online marketing efforts, especially when it comes to social media.
It’s not enough to project a super friendly persona and let everyone know what you are doing at all times. That is not the type of transparency we’re discussing here. Trust can be acquired in multiple ways and is most effective when you identify the key cornerstones.
Expectation. A positive interaction is what people expect when they like your facebook page or comment on your blog post. How do we meet that expectation and better yet exceed it? This is something that takes time and will come from a combination of quality content, being present, responding to feedback and most importantly – being consistent. There is no fast and easy money when it comes to social media, but you are expected to interact in a meaningful way.
Relationships. This positive interaction is what builds relationships. People want to know who you are and what you’re all about. If you stay consistent and make an effort to build relationships your audience will reciprocate.
Benevolence. The tendency to do good, to help, to take that part of your day to show an act of kindness. There are many ways to do this through the free content you provide. The knowledge that you share with others. If we are too focused on guarding our ideas and worrying about being better than the next guy, we loose the ability to be benevolent.
And most importantly, Integrity. By demonstrating all of the above cornerstones of trust, you will display integrity which is one of the most important leadership qualities any individual can possess, and sometimes the hardest to demonstrate.
So let’s start building our social empire of trust. It may be discouraging when you feel like no one is listening and your efforts are in vain, but Rome was not built in a day. And we are fortunate to have tools like Facebook, LinkedIn, Google, Yelp, Twitter and all of the sites that encourage connections and inspire us to share we have to offer to the world. If you keep the following points in mind, especially when it comes to Social Media, you'll do just fine:
- Be Present
- Be Authentic
- Be Responsive
- Be Consistent
- Be Friendly
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Be Professional
To View This Week’s Agent Secrets Video On How To Build Trust Online Click Here
It's LIVE NOW, ThursdayApril 26th, and will only be available to the public for the next 24 hours.
See you online!
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