At the core of every business is a foundation of good relationships. From the freelancers to the vendors each person has to have a team of superheroes who help guide the business.
No one can succeed alone. There are just too many problems to solve.
The problem many of you face is building a tribe as well as building your team that can help you grow. You can’t go out to a networking event every night it’s just not feasible. It’s actually kind of silly when we have so many great tools at our fingertips.
Instead of struggling through you need to find ways to connect with people using social media tools. I prefer Twitter because the conversation is quick and doesn’t have to suck up hours upon hours of your time. So today we’ll focus on how to build relationships on Twitter.
Conversation
The trust factor is the most important aspect of building your tribe and team. Yes, I admit that hanging out with people in person is usually the best way, but this isn’t always the most efficient use of your marketing time. Cold calling a potential client is like reaching through the phone lines and slapping someone in the face hoping that they pay attention and eventually forgive you. Writing cold emails that rarely get looked at, doesn’t equate either.
It’s better to warm your people up by starting a conversation in social media, so when you do meet them in person you’ve already had a dozen micro conversations.
Last week I had a conversation with someone on Twitter about not needing the latest version of the iPhone to be happy. We connected. It was a little trust building moment on Twitter. We are both going to the same conference in a few weeks and we set up a place and time to meet. When we do meet, there will be history already on our side. There’s a very good chance we’ll find ways to connect.
Finding ways to connect with people, to warm them up to you, is vital part of Twitter. I’ve broken down 5 important ways to build relationships with people via Twitter, so when you do meet them in person or call them you’ll already have a foundation of trust.
1. Answer People’s Questions
People love other people who listen well. Twitter is no different. You have to be willing to find out what other people are interested in. Once you know what they are interested in and what they need help with you have your in.
Someone you follow may ask you for your favorite marketing blog or help with their blog. I answered @Marelisa request about her landing page for an ebook she was launching.
She will probably remember this and help me out when I need it. That’s what Twitter does if you use it the right way. It allows you to build trust.
2. Ask people questions using the @ reply.
Twitter is about stepping out of your comfort zone a little and talking to people you wouldn’t normally go up to at a party. So if you want to ask @zappos a question then go for it. You probably won’t get a response, but that’s ok, they might have seen the @ reply and taken notice of you.
I would suggest starting a little lower on the social hierarchy Twitter scale. Try finding someone you care about that you think might reply back. One of my favorite is @lizstrauss one of the coolest bloggers and business people I know. If you answer her question or give her a really cool resource I guarantee she’ll respond to you.
3. Share other people’s stuff
One of my rules is not to share too much of my own blog posts or products on Twitter. I let other people do that for me.
By sharing other people’s stuff they are more willing to do the same for me. That’s how relationships are built on Twitter. You lift other people up, so when they get to the next level of success they want to help you get to that level too.
4. Share Real Feelings
@penelopetrunk is one of my favorite people to follow on Twitter. She shares what is on her mind. She has over 100,000 people following her and she has tweeted less than 1,000 times. That’s how cool she is.
Here is a little snippet I took from her Twitter feed:
She lets her true self out and people love it. It’s hard to be as open as she is, but you get my point. Don’t be afraid to say something that might get other people upset. If you believe in something let it fly. No bird puns intended.
5. Join Twitter Parties
I get a kick out of Twitter parties it’s why I started hosting them myself. I hosted my first 10 Twitter parties for free before I even charged for them. There are so many great people willing to chat about different subjects. That’s why Twitter parties are so much fun. You get to learn new concepts and win prizes. It’s a win-win no matter what.
Not all Twitter parties are created equal. You need to join Twitter parties that align with your interest. Believe me there are plenty out there that will spark your interest.
Your Turn
What are you doing to build relationships in Twitter?
What has worked well for you?