Social media has burst onto the scene and shows no sign of slowing down. In fact, it’s only going to get bigger. But there’s one thing about social networking that has seen many internet marketers go bust…hard ball selling. If you want to stay in the game, you’ve got keep up with the times.
In other words, if you aren’t on Twitter, Facebook, vigorously updating your blog and commenting on a variety of others’ blogs, you have the potential of quickly getting lost in the shuffle. The trick is to “sell” without “selling” these days. Confused yet?
Now as hard as that sounds, it’s actually pretty easy to do once you know how. First, build a relationship. Second, promote. It’s as simple as that. Unlike traditional methods of advertising, where you place your ad to promote your product, and then you build a relationship with those people, social media is the complete opposite.
The process is somewhat backwards than other methods. For instance, when it comes to email marketing you get the person on your list first, and build the relationship second. When utilizing social media, you have to build the relationship first, and promote second. Otherwise people will just think you’re a spammer, and they won’t pay attention. It’s pretty hard to get traffic and sales if nobody’s listening.
It’s truly a balance. If you’re an affiliate for an ebook, don’t just say “Go here and buy this ebook on affiliate marketing”, instead try, “Great ebook on affiliate marketing. Really enjoyed it!” That approach gives one the feeling of shared information instead of flat out advertising.
You will also have to be complimentary and interactive with your friends and followers. Be sure to show an interest in what they are tweeting about, what they are doing according to their status updates and what they have to say in their blog. As an internet marketer, you can appreciate how busy they are and will want to show them that they are valued as well. This is also a great way to take your anti-advertising internet marketing approach to the next level. Leaving comments or re-tweeting is a great way to gain additional exposure. Just make sure what you are commenting on or sending out is relevant and will reach those who may also be interested in your online business.
Networking through social media is about an informal approach to marketing. There’s a sense of community not found through conventional methods. If you’re always thinking about how you can help others, you can’t lose. Traffic and sales will follow.
Convential online marketing isn’t going anywhere for the time being, so don’t drop what’s working just to dive into something new. With a combination of traditional advertising and social media, you will see your business grow and thrive.
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Tags: business, Internet Marketing, marketing, online business