Forget Bitcoin. Invest in Relationships.
Connection, being known, belonging, being heard … these are the most powerful drivers of buying decisions and cannot be developed by a stranger.
Bitcoin isn’t the only craze out there right now. In the digital marketing world, you can’t turn any corner without hearing about funnels and live stories, and what’s on the way out or on the way in.⠀
I have a university diploma in Internet Marketing from 1998. True story. I’ve been watching this “industry” for a very long time. You know what’s never gone “out”? Relationship marketing. It’s had lots of different names and tools, frameworks and fads, but the concept has never wavered as the top marketing tactic you can invest in. Ever.⠀
I’m not even talking about in the digital age. Go watch Mad Men, or any movie about business that predates oh, 1989. Everything is about relationships – who knows who, who likes who, who helps and hinders… ⠀
People are funny creatures and as much as we are all special snowflakes, we are also all staggeringly similar in our motivations and core, primal needs. Connection, being known, belonging, being heard … these are the most powerful drivers of buying decisions and cannot be developed by a stranger.⠀
We have so many opportunities to access people, and so many tools with which to be increasingly more targeted in finding the people we want to connect with. However, all of this access can become paralyzing. ⠀
If you are still struggling with or overwhelmed by how to create connections, here are some handy tips:⠀
Focus on one person at a time. Hear them, listen to their story, tell them yours, go deep.⠀
Be strategically vulnerable. Ask for help, describe a challenge, be real about how you feel.⠀
Let someone else be the expert. Everyone likes to know they can teach, inform or share. ⠀
Get excited about similarities and things you have in common. This draws you closer and creates common ground.⠀
Make the first move. Ask for a coffee date (virtually or in person), some advice or just initiate a private chat. ⠀
Friends buy from friends, and friends like to help. When you let someone know you, not just your brand, you create an open door for customers to walk right in.⠀
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Tell me in the comments…
What are some of your favourite relationship-building tactics?⠀
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