Creating Trust through Word of Mouth

Word of Mouth and your brand reputation

When meeting a contact for the first time, within the first few seconds, you plant a relationship seed which can either flourish or fail. It’s all about building trust when working on a relationship. 

Trust is one of the most powerful tools when generating a relationship with contacts. Primarily, it is the first impression that always leaves the most impact on an individual, and will later decide how they will want to interact with you.

Attitude that builds

So, it’s up to you to start things out the right way. What are some things that you can do to create a good first impression? When first meeting a contact, be sure that you make a positive impact on them with several different techniques that are small and simple, but carry the most powerful impact during an initial meeting. 

You may have seen those cliché movie scenes where one person instructs his comedic, yet faithful companion to act proper and don’t be a fool. Often, this situation turns out as a complete failure with the benefit of a few good laughs, but it teaches a valuable lesson. Be honest to yourself and to others. Don’t try to play a role or a part in a play. Smile, but don’t force it. Others will quickly notice if you are trying to be someone you are not, mostly because you aren’t being honest with them. This is imperative to trust, and how you act needs to present an honest image. 

Upon introductions, shaking hands combined with balanced eye contact ensures the other person that you are confident. Your handshake should be firm, but not too overwhelming. Don’t break their hand or shake more than three times. 

While shaking hands, be sure to look your contact in the eyes and confirm your name. During a discussion, balance your eye contact in a group and avoid any stare-down contests that could intimidate others. You don’t want to seem overwhelming or unapproachable. A friendly attitude is the most effective tool to building trust. 

What to say is basic- stick with a greeting that suits the occasion. Don’t be interrogative or overwhelmingly emotional about the situation. The best practice is to affirm your name and ask theirs. Follow up with something similar to: “This is quite the event, I’m glad I could come, how about you?”

This topic brings us to the importance of asking a question and listening. Stop dominating the conversation by sharing information about yourself or they might get bored, consider you self-centered or even sales-y.  It’s important to showcase your ability to listen and comprehend when interacting with others, especially prospective clients.

Openly display your expertise in your field, especially if asked, yet do refrain from being ‘all about you.”   Tell them about what you do, but do keep it short and simple (in order to leave a taste they will be intrigued with for a later follow-up) so they will know if you are a viable source of networking material for them. Always remember that networkers are searching for valuable contacts, so be prepared to make yourself one of them.

Basically, you are building a rapport that is influential. What will others say about you? Trust depends on the impression you impact on your contacts. This is one of the best methods by which we can apply word of mouth marketing because when others trust you, they will be inclined to endorse you as a quality prospect.

Others included

You build through the connection towards other connections. Each person has access to a new network of people, so there is never a useless contact. Never turn away from someone who is interested in you, even if they themselves don’t seem to benefit you.

This is often where many networkers go astray, because they are searching for something specific that they need…right now. But, there is always the future to include, so it’s good to consider that everyone will at some point prove beneficial to your business needs. Be ready to add anybody to your contact list.

“Building trust through word of mouth marketing is crucial to your success.” [tweet this].

While time is a resource we all feel we don’t have enough of, it is important to concentrate on leaving a good impression, especially during your first encounter with a contact. You never know who they will know or who they will talk to, so be ready to impact the entire world positively and create a network of trust. 

Which LinkedIn Groups Work for You?

LinkedIn Groups and your social marketing strategy

Social networks have become an increasingly powerful marketing tool for businesses both big and small. Some have certain applications and benefits, targeting visuals, info-bites, and customer service benefits. However, Linkedin has a more focused benefit: networking with your audience. 

Now, it may seem that you could network on any social network, but Linkedin is designed specifically to help businesses network with each other and a business-oriented audience. 

One of the most widely used tools of Linkedin is the groups it hosts. These can range from three up into the thousands, so it’s not difficult to find people to talk to. One of the biggest problems with these groups is that new conversations are rarely initiated. Most of the time, the topic is related to old info or even replicated theories that people already know works.

The problem is finding someone who is interested and wants to continue a conversation. Using Linkedin groups isn’t as easy as targeting a similar interest group and jumping in to see what the topic of the day is. Rather, it is how you perform in the group that will generate interest and ultimately sales. 

So, how can you make the most of your participation in a Linkedin group?  The right approach is needed to start generating interest. 

Gather others

The initial approach is to start by simply inviting others to attend your groups or making announcements to your associates. It doesn’t have to be exuberantly formal, because the primary goal is to get more people to interact in the conversation. Additionally, invites tend to spread quickly by word of mouth, and start conversations of their own (did you get invited?). 

This is ideal if you want to have a group discussion. By simply inviting your associates and audience members to join in the conversation, you create interest to some extent. Remember that this is a networking tool to meet new people and the best way to do that is to get more people to converse with you. However, you can’t just invite an audience to the same old show they already know. You have to be ready to provide them with good reason to attend. 

Out with the old, in with the new

The main problem with Linkedin groups is that there are few new conversations started. Results were that commenting was also dwindling and the basic interest had dropped because fewer people had something new to talk about. That’s where you come in.

Information that is shared or duplicated tends to be old and lacks interest. While it can be effective when enforcing your theories and business strategies, it has been proven and tends to lack the ability to generate new conversation. And that’s where many Linkedin groups falter. There is discussion in the group, but it normally only covers old information. 

This means that it’s time to start a new conversation. Create a new trend with a new idea and introduce it into your group. While it may be accepted or argued, it is a key stepping stone to initiating group activity. They can start thinking new things, communicating with you, and you getting new ideas. 

Information that is original is the most valuable asset to a conversation. Few people enjoy talking about yesterday’s news or discussing the weather over and over again. This means that in order to begin quality networking, you have to generate quality content in your groups. 

Work to create a solution that targets your customer’s needs and applies to your business. New approach? New applications? It’s all about new information that will generate new interest. An audience always love seeing a good problem get solved, even if it is just a simple solution. 

When searching for new info to discuss, pay attention to new problems that arise. Are there popular questions trending on the web that relate to your business? Are there viable solutions that you can provide? This is how you get involved with your group. 

Then there is the importance of finding groups that are effective for your business. Groups might have labels and target specific conversations, but how they go about communicating makes all the difference. It’s good to relocate from group to group, searching for new topics and fresh material. If you find yourself surrounded by the same old information regularly, then the group isn’t growing well and it’s probably time to move on.

Linkedin groups alone are not the key to networking. It is up to you to find and create conversation that will attract new audience members to help build quality conversation and new leads to follow.

Twitter Metrics that Maximize Word of Mouth Marketing

Tools to improve your Twitter influence 

Twitter is a really great tool for your business. But how do you know how effective your business Twitter account is? There are programs called metrics that you can use in order to know how your word of mouth marketing is doing on Twitter. Below you will find some of the most effective metrics that you can use.

Your influence on Twitter

Even though you may have a large number of followers on Twitter, what is more important is how influential you are. Services such as PeerIndex and Klout can tell you the amount of influence you have over your Twitter followers. 

These kinds of services will generally provide you with a number out of either 10 or even 100. This is going to indicate the level of your influence. Something else that will be more interesting though is the statistics. If you never thought of your Twitter influence before, you should think about it now.

Time Zones of Your Followers

Being informed about when your followers are awake is going to help you time your tweets so that they can be seen by the most number of people. Tweriod is a service that can pull all of the time zones of your followers from their bios on Twitter, and then tell you when it's going to be best for you to tweet based on that information. They are going to provide you with time zone graphs and these are good for calculating tweet times as well.

A second good tool for you to use is Timely. This app is really simple and it can tell you which of the last 200 tweets you wrote didn't reach their highest potential. It will also suggest different daily time zones when you can try tweeting.

Tweets Which Receive the Highest Number of Retweets

You can track the links that you put in Twitter using something called bit.ly or another service, and you will start to quickly learn what is getting retweeted and what isn’t. This can be really valuable information when you want to maximize your Twitter presence, since it can help with refining the content and style of your Tweets.

If you find that your quality content is not being retweeted frequently, use a quote or ask a relevant question.

The Interests of Followers

Knowing whether or not you're targeting the best followers is crucial for seeing high conversion and engagement rates from a Twitter account. You are able to get a fast snapshot of the interests of followers by performing a keyword analysis of their bios. This is going to show their niches. One of the best things that you can use is Foller.me . It gives you your influencers keywords that are repeated the most in a text cloud plus a whole host of other helpful information!

How you're using Twitter

You may think you know everything about the way that you're using Twitter, but this is probably not true, even if you're managing your own account. However, there is some information available about the way that you use Twitter that you may not know. What day are you tweeting the most? What time of day are you tweeting the most?

Among the best tools for graphing your use of Twitter is called TweetStats. You are able to view in chart and graph form what days, months, and hours you're tweeting the most. It also displays to you who you have replied to the most, which Tweets are retweeted more, and which interface you're using to access Twitter.

These are just a few valuable metrics that you can use when it comes to using Twitter, especially when you're pairing it with a bit of that information that is found above. You are able to use the tweet patterns to get to your audience much better based on their time zone, the people who are retweeting you, and a whole lot more. Through tweaking your habits on Twitter to much better suit your audience, you will be able to reach more people, convert a lot more clicks, and get more overall success on Twitter. Use the information above to increase the effectiveness of Twitter for your business.

Can You Use Pinterest for Business to Business Marketing?

Business to business social marketing with Pinterest

For those interested in applying social networking into their business to business marketing, there are certain networks which can benefit your efforts. 

It does, of course, depend completely on how you use the tools that are provided. Pinterest is a very visually appealing network which works very well for presenting your business in various aspects. Though not every business relies on the visual presentation of their product, especially when it comes to those that focus on providing services, Pinterest can still market your efforts by appealing to your audience’s demands.

What are the uses of Pinterest? A visual site with limited room for speech, Pinterest is actually perfect for social marketing. Here you are able to spread your image easily since it is an open network, much like Twitter. It’s available to anyone and everyone, even those who don’t have an account. It is great for gaining public exposure. In addition, cross-networking is a big part of Pinterest. Don’t neglect to link with the prominent social networks like Facebook and Twitter. 

What ways can you employ Pinterest to do serve your benefit?

It’s true that Pinterest most commonly appeal to private individuals. The pictures and visuals seem to have more influence on present clients and potentials. But it is important to remember that there are plenty of other businesses utilizing the social site to promote their own efforts. When it comes to business to business needs, consider Pinterest as a big fish-filled pond. There are potential catches of all sizes and types. You simply have to know what type of bait to use to make your Pinterest page appeal to the right audience. 

So, consider what it is that you provide to your clientele. Your target zone is going to have to be focused, perhaps providing an essential service that businesses prominently use. But, the real question is how you can deliver that through Pinterest. As a visually appealing site with little room for commentary, it can be difficult to appeal to someone who is currently working on promoting their own business. 

Pinterest utilizes the “follow” technique, which works for anyone trying to meet someone new or build a social circle. When you follow a site, you broaden your imagery. What they post is linked to your Pinterest site. This gives you the opportunity to leave comments on pins and discuss. Conversations are the beginning of business, and this is the perfect way to initiate a relationship. 

Work on distributing your image and what it is that you do. Implement pins that display what it is that your business does. Provide info-graphs about your services and what you can provide. Because pictures are the primary focus of Pinterest, this is the perfect chance to sum up what you can do in a simple photograph. They are still pictures, but can easily get the message across through words, statistics, and charts. Expand your application of photography. 

Do keep in mind that while you’re trying to appeal to certain businesses, the whole world is your market. Be ready to work with anything you catch, because you never know when it might lead to a bigger fish. 

Appealing in general

The first practice of Pinterest focuses on word-of-mouth marketing. Pinterest allows you to make people talk about you. You can easily spread your image, but only by appealing to the visual aspect. Create imagery that captures attention- even if they aren’t looking for you. 

To do this, you’ll need to present yourself across a broad range of audiences. You’ll want to touch a subject in everyone’s desire. This can be done through the various boards that the site provides. Focus on appealing with who you are and what you represent. Use individual boards with appealing photos to target a general audience. Include such scenarios as: What do you like? What plans do you have? 

Use Pinterest as an information board. Unite your business employees to add to boards such as goals and ambitions. Unite with clients and associates. Remember that if someone follows you, follow them right back. Don’t be shy, socialize. Comment and respond to comments. Repin things you like because that’s what it’s all about. And most importantly, build a link to your websites through your photos and script. This is a big part of Pinterest so don’t neglect it.

Pinterest can be a useful social networking tool when used in the correct context. With the right application, you can make sure that you create a social network that benefits your particular business needs, even though your target audience is another business. 

Pinterest and Your Small Business Service Brand

Pinterest is fast becoming one of the most popular social networking sites in the world. More and more brands are using it to effectively promote their products or services within the site. As a small business service brand, would it be worthwhile for you to sign up on Pinterest?

Well, it depends. Some small business service brands can be highly successful in promoting their brand on Pinterest, but there are others who may not garner the same success and may be better off promoting their brand elsewhere. So if you’re a brand who’s offering services, not products, should you consider social marketing on Pinterest or not? Here are some things you should think about:

     1. Do your services translate well visually?

There are certain small businesses that offer services that translate well visually. Photographers, for example, can effectively utilize Pinterest’s virtual pinboard by showcasing their best photos and shots. Wedding coordinators can create pinboards of the weddings they’ve organized, as well as other pictures that inspire them to organize wonderful weddings. These visual displays can help people learn more about your work and determine whether your services fit their requirements.

Lawyers, on the other hand, may not be able to promote their brand effectively on Pinterest. Sure they can create boards of the things they love and the things that inspire them, but it’s not going to let people know how effective they’re going to be in the courtroom.

So if the services you’re offering translate well visually, then definitely  consider promoting your brand on Pinterest.

     2. Is your target audience on Pinterest?

Majority of Pinterest users are women, so if your small business service brand caters to women more than men, then you should definitely consider adding the site to your marketing mix.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that if your services cater more to men, that you shouldn’t be on Pinterest. But you may have to think twice and consider other options so you can reach your target audience better.

     3. Are you willing to devote time on the site?

Just like other social networking sites, it’s important to devote time and effort to your page on the site, so that you build a good number of followers. You want to make things interesting for your audience, so you should regularly post, comment and reply to people, and make sure to follow, share and like other pinboards as well. You can’t build a following if you’re not going to update regularly and if you aren’t willing to devote time to interacting with your audience.

After you’ve considered these three things, here are some tips to help you market your small business service brand on Pinterest:

       • Too much self-promotion is a No-No

Too much self-promotion on Pinterest isn’t going to earn you points on it. Remember that it’s still primarily a social networking site, so it’s important that you make sure to share other things in addition to the services you’re offering.

What you can do is create interest in your services by sharing content that’s inspiring and based on a broader theme. This helps build a community around your brand, and doesn’t hint of over self-promotion.

       • Connect your Pinterest with your other social media accounts

To effectively convert buzz to bucks, you should definitely connect your Pinterest with your website, your blog, and your other social networking sites. This helps promote your page and drive traffic to your website. You want to direct people to the place where they can become your clients and avail of your services.

       • Be more personal

The best thing about Pinterest is the fact that you can show off who you are and what you love. Personalize your page – take the time to update the appearance of your Pinterest page so that it reflects who you are and what your brand is all about. And again, don’t be all about business – lighten up. Show people what inspires you and create boards that are funny and interesting. Social marketing is all about connecting with your audience, and the best way to connect with them is to show them the personal side of you.

Your small business service brand can definitely benefit from maintaining an account on Pinterest. So don’t be too quick on dismissing this popular medium. Pinterest is fast becoming an excellent platform for marketing small businesses.

Do Focus and Engage

Here are some tips to help us focus on the people we interact with and how we can engage them to build a lasting relationship with us:

“What can I do for them” attitude – we always have something to offer to those who need help. If we live by this attitude, we are likely to become more attentive to those who communicate with us. I’m not talking about your business nor your products or services either.  There is always something person to person, in our connections, where we can help. 

In helping others widen their network, you are gaining their trust. They will know that you are not just about making sales but also willing to help others.

Use their name – when meeting people and they introduce themselves, make sure that you remember their names and use it when you are addressing them. If you encounter someone with a unique name or you did not get it the first time, repeat their name and ask if you pronounced it right. Doing this will make it easier for you to remember them, and at the same time, you are avoiding the possibility of mispronouncing their name when you talk to them again.

Why does this matter? The person you are talking to will feel important when you use their first name, and they will also love to be able to call you by your first name. It also leads to a more comfortable conversation.

Maintain eye-contact – paying attention means that we have to show them that we are really listening to what they are saying. Maintaining eye-contact is important when you are talking to someone.

Avoid using your phone. Avoid looking elsewhere. When someone is talking to you, just look them straight in the eye. Doing this will make them feel that you are really interested in what they are saying. They will feel important because they feel that you are respecting them. In return, you gain their trust and respect. When it’s your time to talk, you will have their full attention as well.

Get their contact details – after meeting and discovering how you two can help each other out, don’t forget to exchange contact details. It can be anything from mobile, email, or social media accounts. Once you have it, do stay in contact. Take the time to contact them and see how they are doing, or you can send them your company newsletter (with their permission) to keep them posted. If you did well in communicating with them when you met them, getting in touch will be easy. Invest time in building strong relationships with the people you meet and your business will reap the benefits of long-term professional connections.

All these sound like a lot of work because you may have other ways of building connections and gaining customers. However, these tips will ensure that you develop deeper and stronger relationships with the people that you meet. If you incorporate these as part of your business values, you will gain trust and respect at a deeper level.

It may take a lot of your time, but you will be bringing in more to your business. It is of great value to you when you build strong connection with a network of people whom you can enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship with. If you live by helping others, your business will be known as a brand that people can trust.