The Internet provides many opportunities for small business owners and entrepreneurs, including the ability to network and build a brand. However, the emphasis on product, price and web presence is not the only thing that should be on the minds of entrepreneurs. Using proper soft skills and “network etiquette” can be just as important, if not more so, to the new business owner.
Bloggers and anyone who publishes content online for web marketing needs to be careful about the impressions they leave on their potential readers and prospects. It can be easy to reach a certain level of influence online and think it’s safe to ignore those who took you this far. Your readers and potential readers may remain loyal, but your attraction to new potential customers may be waning, even though you have no idea why.
Regardless of the physical distance between the author and the reader, you can create much more if you are unaware of the reputation you have built among your target market and fail to maintain a positive image. Consider the following questions and try to put yourself in the shoes of those you are trying to reach, not your own:
- Do I respond to inquiries in a timely manner?
- How would I perceive someone who never responded or reciprocated acknowledgment on my Facebook fan page, Twitter profile, or other social media platform?
- Have I taken the time to express gratitude to my followers recently?
- Do I follow the golden rule and treat others as I want them to treat me?
- Am I seeing a drop in my conversion rates or referral business?
- What is the tone in my blog posts? Am I starting with something positive or ranting about something in a negative way?
- When I respond to comments, do I use words like thank you and please?
- Have I started to see a decrease in comments or regular visits?
- Am I tracking automated social media tools to check direct messages, replies, and retweets?
- Is my blog and social media strategy on autopilot?
- Am I continually providing information or am I not listening to those around me?
- Has my following decreased or experienced a major fluctuation?
Social media strategists are finding increasing evidence linking interaction and engagement with people as an essential component to successful web marketing. This trend is not likely to abate, especially when it is so easy to do so; all that is required is time, not money. When all else is equal among competitors, the decision to buy or go elsewhere will ultimately depend on the individual’s feelings or opinion.
Bloggers and entrepreneurs entering the growing pool of social networks will need to master these skills to remain competitive. The Internet is still quite young and is growing at an exponential rate. Just because someone has more experience online does not guarantee that they will be successful or remain relevant. Engage with your market and engage them to ensure they know your business, brand or product is backed by a real person rather than an automated machine. Similar to the disdain we have for automated menus on phones, people will appreciate real relationships.
This may seem slow at first, but with proper programming and information on how to productively spend your time blogging, updating Facebook and Twitter followers, the time spent pales in comparison to the rewards to be gained. Treat your followers as if they were living people walking into a traditional building, ignoring them could cost you more than a sale. Word of mouth remains the most effective and damaging form of advertising. The internet simply makes this marketing vehicle more viral and gives it more power.