It is a new year and a new decade. 2020 can be a great time for new beginnings. We can leave the old behind, and make room for the new. With social media continuing to be a big benefit for entrepreneurs, building relationships and making connections should be at the top of our list. People do business with people they know, like and trust. But, what if they don’t know you yet? How do we get them to know, like and trust us? Building trust is what will build connections. Below, let’s look at 8 ways that are proven strategies for making connections and growing our community.
- Comment on posts and blogs– One way to build relationships is to comment on the posts and blogs of the people you follow and the people you admire. When commenting, always include at least four words. Show interest in the posts and make a positive comment.
- Follow sites- I like to call it the top three. Pick three industries or influences daily to follow. Check out their profile and see if they are a good fit for you and your business. Become a follower.
- Join Groups– A great way to build relationships is through specialized groups. Facebook and Linkedin Groups are a great place to start. Join 2-3 groups and focus on those groups. Don’t join too many groups where you are overwhelmed or you don’t get to participate in the groups. Add value to the groups on a weekly basis by posting informative and helpful information.
- Retweet- On Tweeter, you can retweet information from your feed and you can also like the information. Usually, when you follow and retweet on Twitter, the person will follow you back.
- Make Connections on Linkedin- On Linkedin, it is a good idea to make connections with other business owners. You can check out their profile and send them a message. Don’t just connect with people in your industry–you should connect with people in different industries that are of interest to you. It is a good idea to make at least 5 new connections on a weekly basis.
- Be human- When you make your own posts, be human. Let people see that you are a regular human being with good information to share. Sometimes, people don’t connect because some industries seem unreachable and untouchable. People want to do business with people who are real and warm. It is nothing wrong with letting people see some behind the scenes of your business.
- Produce solid content– When you put out good, solid content on a weekly basis, you will attract customers thus building relationships. It’s not about quantity, it is about quality. Just posting good content 2-3 days a week will cause your business to attract new leads.
- Be a Storyteller- Don’t just post facts and figures on your sites. Be a storyteller. Research shows that people engage more with stories. You can share some things you learned along the way to help your business plus some things that hindered your business. Your stories may be just what someone needs to give them the boost for the week.
Say “Yes to Branding Success” in 2020 and watch your business dreams become reality. Build relationships and connections through these 8 ways. Build a loyal following, and become that business that in 2020 more people get to know, like and trust you and your business. Visit our free resource center, watch our YouTube videos and listen to our Branding Success podcasts all from my site at https://www.marshalynnhudson.com
