Social media marketing – “I needs We to truly be I”
This morning I have been reading an interesting article in a relatively new digital marketing magazine figaro digital, by Alan Moore the founder of an engagement consultancy SMLXL. (Yes I was reading a print magazine… a well earned rest from the monitor and iphone!!). The article looks at the explosion and importance of social media in today’s connected society. Using a number of intellectuals’ writings throughout history, there was a clear message of the importance of community and relationships in our sense of identity. It is actually our engagement and relationships with others that forms our individual identity. To sum this up, he used Carl Jung’s famous quote “I needs We to truly be I”.
The importance of community and to our sense of self, explains why social media has exploded. The resounding message for all of us marketing our businesses online is the importance of engagement and relationships when marketing in our online information age.
Just as when you visit a shop, restaurant or pub, that you frequent regularly, you are recognised and pass the time of day with the staff, it improves the experience and helps you develop a relationship with the business. You’ll probably also find that you will feel a closer connection with the businesses that really stand out in your life. It is likely that you feel a connection with other customers of those businesses, in some way they are like you and enjoy similar experiences. In turn these are the businesses that you’ll enjoy visiting on a regular basis and are likely to recommend to others.
This is really what social media marketing is all about. In an online world where you don’t have to converse with your customers for them to buy from you, it is very easy for them to become anonymous and for you to become detached from their real needs.
This makes developing engagement with your customers and potential customers and having conversations with them so important. If you can develop the community where you can converse with your customers and listen to their needs and where they can speak with other customers and develop a relationship around your business it helps your business stand out from all the others competing for the same customers. It gives your customers trust in your business and helps them develop a relationship with your brand. And ultimately relationships and a sense of community are fundamental elements of the human race.
Developing relationships takes time. You don’t win trust overnight. However, working on this will build very strong foundations and develop real conversations with your customers and potential customers. If you are really listening to your customers and developing your business based on what you learn, there is no doubt that your business will benefit hugely. It will give you the competitive edge over those that aren’t investing the time to develop the relationships.
