As we reach out to more and more people to sell more and more stuff, can we still engage in a “relationship” with each one of those people?
Because, at the end of the day, business is about relationships, right? It’s about a good fit: partnerships that benefit one another, transactions that add value to both parties, and personalities that collaborate. I think that’s true whether you’re buying a pair of shoes, engaging an attorney or deciding on an HVAC contractor. But there are a lot of shoes out there, probably even more attorneys and all different kinds of HVAC businesses.
So how do you differentiate yourself from the thousands of others out there doing the same thing you are, especially when you are communicating electronically? How do you find a good fit?
MarketingProfs.com recommends that you be HUMAN. That you communicate in your voice, and that you find a way to let your personality shine through. Email like you email your mom, your friend, or your coworker. Don’t insert typos (you still need to remain professional), but, MarketingProfs recommends, be “real and relevant.”
When Rally Marketing began sending emails, we advised prospects to nurture “electronic relationships” with email. But then we saw a segment on 20/20 which indicated that was clearly inappropriate. So our jury is still out on “relationships.” We like to use the phrase “electronic rapport.”
All the same, it starts electronically these days, whether on your website, in a e-magazine ad, on a Facebook page, or through an email. Because the Internet has made the world flat, we can have relationships and conduct business across the country, without leaving the comfort of your cushy office chair. But remember, you’re not doing business with the internet – you’re doing business with another person. Be human. Be yourself.
