The Holy Grail of online success seems to be List Building. A soulless label is ever there was one. Lists are made up of an assortment of relatively random names, behind each of which there is a person.
Automated marketing programs are often skewed in their approach to creating leverage via 'virul' name capturing systems that are anonymous in the extreme and perhaps even cynical if expedient.
Engaging with a person takes a little time and effort. The time to actually engage in dialogue-which is of itself two way and the effort to add value. Conversations are never generic. Speeches can be and copy written sales scripts most definitely are.
The pay off, for taking the time to engage directly is interesting and tangible. It's the stuff that relationships are built on.
It takes the briefest of moments to skim an article and grab a morsel of value. To leave a considered comment takes a few additional moments, yet the footprint is so much deeper. one of the most enduring of human traits is the need to reciprocate. Numerous studies have concluded that people have an innate desire to return a favor, and not only its equivalent but to a larger degree. There is a fascinating book titled Influence by Caldini that is worth a read on this subject.
The message? Perhaps instead of simply joining Twitter groups that guarantee to follow back try to contribute to the community buzz. The back links will come of their own accord.
The noise online is so loud it's sometimes hard to know what channel to tune into. Funnily enough I find myself investigating the sites of those who choose to comment on my Blogs or who subscribe to my Youtube channel. Incidentally I find myself reciprocating. On the odd occasion that I get a direct message on Twitter that is not automated, IE one that addresses me by name not DEAR FRIEND, I feel compelled to check them out and conversations begin and sometimes evolve into relationships.
If you'd like to leave a comment below or on my Youtube channel (Icon on the side) that would be great and I'd be genuinely interested to check out your site-'life's like that'!
Cheers Kiaran
I think engaging someone in a conversation these days is a very challenging thing.
ReplyDeleteAll people have time for is to shout out Buy From ME! - and that's the end of their engagement.
The result: everybody is sitting in their shell refusing to respond to a genuine connection, thinking What's the catch?
Good post, Kiaran.
Ana Hoffman/http://www.yournetbizwealthcreation.com
By the way, checked out your YouTube channel - looks like you are AWOL :).
ReplyDelete