You’re really excited about your brand, your company and your products and services. You think everyone will also be excited so you get all the various social media and networks and start posting links to your products and your website and sit back waiting for everyone to hop on the bandwagon. Nothing. What’s the deal?
For some reason people think that communication on the Internet is somehow magically different than communication in person. If you were at a networking event and someone just started talking about themselves and their company and products and wouldn’t shut up, what would you do? You’d probably walk away. The Internet is no different – except its 100 times easier to walk away since you don’t have to worry about making up some excuse for why you have to leave right now (sorry, my phone is going off and I have to take this call….)
People will participate with your brand because you have something valuable to offer them. You provide useful information. You help people out. You give and give and give. It’s all about them. It takes a lot of work and a lot of patience. It takes time. It requires learning more about people, having conversations, linking to useful information, helping other people out, etc. All the same things you have to do to network effectively in-person.
The Internet is a communication tool. It’s not some magical device that will make you a millionaire over night. Building a community takes a lot of work and a lot of patience. It requires giving way more than you’re receiving. Encourage participation by being someone that people want to participate with.
How do you encourage participation with your brand?
(photo by cyberuly @ Flickr CC)
Liked this post? Consider subscribing to our RSS feed or our free email updates or following us on Twitter.
Technorati Tags: blogging, blogs, community, social media, social media strategy, social networks, social networking, internet marketing, marketing