You can use every marketing tool and tactic known to man, but without first building a relationship, you have very little chance of turning a prospect into a customer. First, let’s stop referring to potential clients as “prospects.” These are people we’re talking about, and they should be respected and treated as such. Social media offers an excellent platform to connect and build relationships with people, but you need to be your genuine self to make it happen.

Genuinely Seek A Relationship

While your primary reason for connecting with someone is to create business eventually, you need to genuinely seek to build a relationship first. If the first thing you’re doing is putting a product in front of someone or trying to get someone to subscribe to something, you’ve pretty much already blown your chance of turning that person into a customer.

Open Up About Yourself

People tend to be more comfortable sharing with others who have opened up about themselves first. In your initial conversations, try to include a few fun facts about your life, like hobbies, interests, and what makes you tick. It’s okay to include a bullet point about what your business does, but you want to steer the conversation toward getting to know your connection.

Be Helpful And Provide Value

Providing value might not always look like sending someone an ebook related to their industry. Sure, helping someone with their profession and getting something out that promotes your business in the process is excellent, but it’s not always the best route. You might find you have even better luck sending a favorite recipe or helping with someone’s travel plans.

Don’t Make A Sales Pitch

This should really be rule number one for social engagement. If the first thing you’re doing, or your primary intention, is to make a sales pitch, you’ll ruin that relationship before you even get started. When it comes to social selling, you are best served to wait for a connection to show an interest in your products or services. Build such a strong relationship that they’re eager to do business with you.

Engage Using Relevant Comments

One of the best ways you can help and provide value to your connections is by expanding the reach of their content. While liking and sharing a post will have some impact, comments are really what drives reach, especially on LinkedIn. Find relevant posts that you can make a valuable contribution to and be consistent with that practice.

The real key to social media success is genuinely seeking to connect with people and build relationships. People can tell when they’re being set up for a sales pitch, so set your intentions toward building a real relationship to avoid that pitfall.

Winn has provided marketing support for technology and financial firms for over 30 years. Click below to schedule a free consultation with us today!