It is in our DNA as humans to want to connect with other human beings. It's in our DNA to want to part of something bigger than we can be by ourselves. We yearn deep within our soul to be liked, respected, feel loved and connect with other human beings.
Brands of all shapes and sizes hop on social media, build a website, start a blog, and spend loads of time writing content, all with a goal of building a community of human beings. They claim they want to organically attract human beings who want to be part of their brand, join their communities, and maybe even evenutally buy from them or become an evangelist.
The problem is that as humans we know we want to connect with other humans, yet marketers who are also human, talk in corporate speak to the people in their communities. Instead of listening, taking time to understand what their audience really wants and needs they start throwing social content spaghetti on the wall and hope it sticks. They fall to lazy social marketing and social selling tactics such as blasting and repeating links on Twitter, over automating their social activities and using social media as a megaphone instead of a platform to build and nurture real human relationships.
Often times the people within our social and business communities both offline and online simply want to feel connected. They want to know you are listening, that you are treating them like a human. They want to know you care about them. They want to know you will be there for them when things go right and when they go wrong, even really wrong.
Social media is not a medium to throw social spam and spaghetti at the wall. Those who are falling to these lazy tactics are usually the same people complaining that “Facebook doesn't work” or that they can't achieve any ROI with social media or digital marketing.
Welcome to the Inspiration Age. The age where human connection is at the heart and core of brands that are truly succeeding online. Social media is simply a medium to help human beings truly connect. We are smack dab in the middle of the Inspiration Age, so learning how you can truly connect in a human way with your audience is a requirement not an option.
So what are social savvy and smart social and digital marketers doing to rise above the noise and connect with their audience and social media communities? How are they building and nurturing relationships that will endure technology changes? We all know the only guarantee in business, life and social media is change. Just as we get comfortable, things change. We need to get comfortable being uncomfortable and know that human connection is what will keep your audience coming back for more, regardless how the social networks and medium change.
Take a listen to episode 171 for 6 proven strategies and tips to help you connect in a human way with your audience and social media communities. Be sure to subscribe to this entire brand new series, “Welcome to The Inspiration Age” on iTunes, Stitcher or SoundCloud!
In this 30 minute podcast you will learn:
- Inspiration age defined
- Why you must connect with your audience in a human way to survive in business today
- Why you must truly understand the objectives of your audience before you can serve them
- How to show up at the right field (social network) at the right time for the right reasons
- Why intent is everything
- Why you must know exactly how you are going to help your audience achieve their goals
- Importance of humanizing everything possible about your brand
- Why you must vary the social media and communications mediums used to connect with your audience
- How to adopt new mediums even if you are shy or uncomfortable with new technology, video, writing or audio
- How to take relationships offline to take them to the next level
- How to leverage offline events to nurture relationships
Supporting Resources:
- Welcome to the Inspiration Age (episode 170)
- 50 Ways to Inspire Your Audience (white paper)
- Social Trust Factor: Ignite Business Results with Trust and Authority
- Brand Humanization in a Nutshell
- 20 Tips to Humanize Your Brand
- You Can't Fake Relevance
- Are You Creating, Curating, Regurgitating Content
- Social Media Audience Analysis Worksheet
- Content Calendar Template
- 4 Things You Need from Your Buyer Before You Can Sell to Them
- How to Add Call to Action Button to Facebook Business Page (blog post & video)
- You Are the Media: 10 Reasons You Need a Blog (episode 111)
- 10 Tips to Focus on Needs of Your Customer
- 8 Steps to Develop a Social Business Plan (white paper)
Free webinars: We are also launching a series of webinars and training opportunities to dig even deeper. Sign up here-> You are the Media – Building Your Media Foundation