Lauren Najar, of Lauren Najar Consulting LLC, is a business strategist helping businesses grow their online presence.
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For years, business owners have gone to in-person networking events to promote their businesses and build relationships. In-person networking still exists today. But while building relationships in person is and will always be valuable, building your community online has become invaluable and could skyrocket your business.
From In-Person To Online
How do we translate the same relationship-building values that exist in the real world to the online space? First, let's visualize. Picture yourself at an in-person networking event. Instead of going up to people and introducing yourself, you head straight to the nearest table and sit down. You hold up a sign that has your name and what you do. You are silent and don't make conversation with or even look at anyone passing by. Some people may approach you, curious to know more, but most people will be put off by the fact that you aren't talking to anyone.
This is the equivalent of having an online presence but letting your profile and your content simply sit on social media sites without actually getting to know your audience or engaging with people who engage with you. Will this help your business? Maybe, depending on the content, but it's a lot harder that way.
What if we take our actual in-person relationship-building practices to the online space?
For instance, how can we greet people when they follow a social media profile of ours? How can we get to know other lines of business? How can we network or collaborate? How can we refer business? All of these things are possible within the online space and may even be more valuable there than in person.
It's Not Just About Numbers
I often see businesses that have some online presence but only focus on certain things like their number of followers or views or likes. I consider these numbers vanity metrics, and while they can be somewhat important in certain cases, true engagement is what is most important when it comes to your online presence.
Even with a small audience, you can grow your business by focusing on engaging with your audiences and getting to know them more. What is something that no one is doing in your industry? Chances are most businesses aren't spending time getting to know their audiences. This is a great way for you to stand out among the competition.
So send a welcome message to thank the person for following you. Thank them for sharing your content if they happen to do so. If someone tags your account, reshare it to yours and thank them. Check in and ask how their experience with your company is going. Consistently reach out regarding what they would like to see. Come from a place of helping, nurturing and serving, not automatically trying to convert followers into paying clients.
Final Thoughts
Being able to build relationships within the online space is a priceless tool to have. When your online channels provide a way for consumers to really get to know you, this will not only help with growing your online presence but also turn your audiences into raving fans and supporters and build a solid foundation for sales, growth and referrals.
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