Well… It is.
We’re all a little vain. Some, more than others but we all fall into the common trap of thinking everything revolves around what happens to us, what we do and what we like.
Think about any relationship you’ve ever had. Have you ever had a good relationship with another person that solely revolved around you? The correct answer is no. Any relationship goes both ways. You talk about common interests and also individual interests. You don’t shoot the other person down every time they talk about something you’re not passionate about, you listen and try to understand. You appreciate other people’s passions and you admire their individuality.
These are the very basics of interpersonal communication. It’s something that hasn’t changed since people started communicating with each other. It’s human nature. All of history’s greatest leaders and innovators understood this and you’ll notice that all of the most successful brands and businesses do too.
We talk a lot about providing value, but we never really explain what “value” really is. When you’re looking at something that is as vast and complex as social media, it’s almost impossible to define value. Especially when you consider that social media is the first form of mass media that actually revolves around relationships. One thing we know for sure is that giving value to others can not revolve around you.
There’s a big difference between talking and having a conversation. Conversations motivate people to act and inspire them to think. Simply Talking only motivates people to move on to something else.
Too many companies are spending too much time talking on social media. It’s time to converse.
Be More Like The Giving Tree
If you have never read The Giving Tree by Shell Silverstein, stop reading and go buy yourself a copy NOW. This tree understands what its child (customer) needs and provides in any way it can, for its entire life. Think about how valuable a lifetime customer is to your business. If you can give like The Giving Tree your customers will never leave you. Now, this idea doesn’t only apply to social media, but it’s a great place to start. Here’s the number one thing you can do to make this happen:
Understand Your Customer!
Give to them through conversations. Just because they are your customer doesn’t mean they are only interested in your industry, your product or your business. Talk about something else! Your customers have lives outside of their relationship with you and anything you can do to make their life easier will not go unnoticed or unappreciated.
The second your brand steps into the world of social media it becomes human. People connect with people, so you need to be someone your customers can understand and someone who understands your customers.
Here are a few quick action items to get you on the right track.
- Start by thinking about what your service or product tells you about what’s going on in your customers’ lives.
- Share content (links, pictures, videos, etc.) that might be relevant based on your previous observation.
- Ask your customers what they need help with or what’s going on in their lives.
- Remember that all work and no play makes your brand unlikeable.
