Can't market your business by sitting on the sidelinesAs a small business owner it is your job to market your products and services to your ideal market, this is basic.  One of the most effective ways to guide people through your marketing funnel is to educate.  Anytime you can provide value to your target audience by educating them on what they can learn from you is building that all important relationship of authority, credibility and trust.

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There is so much information we are inundated with everyday, so it is your job to stand out and be memorable. For example, you could be known in your niche for providing really great content that your audience always learns something that empowers them.  You are consistent with this content that people know they can count on you to inform and educate them them.  What this does in time is solidify a relationship. People will come to expect high quality information from you and thus you build that important trust factor making the decision to buy from you an easier one.

Online Engagement Tips

  • Don’t simple click the ‘Like’ button under someone’s post, take time to write a thoughtful comment
  • Listen carefully to what your target audience posts on social media and jump into the conversation with a helpful comment
  • If you are networking online let’s say in a LinkedIn group, Facebook group or other online platform – make an effort to engage people int he group. Post a question that elicits people to reply and get a conversation going, take time to reply to other people’s post and don’t spam the group with self-promoting posts.
  • Ask questions from peers or colleagues that can offer feedback or suggestions

In-person Engagement Tips

  • Introduce yourself to someone you don’t already know
  • Be interesting – learn to craft a 30 second intro that says more than you name and what you do. Tell people who you help and how – that is far more interesting than your name and title.
    Example:  “I’m Kim and I’m a realtor” – a more interesting intro could be “Hi I’m Kim and I help young professional millennials who want to live downtown find the best, hippest properties around.”
  • Ask how you could help or support someone new you’ve just met – perhaps let them know you have a great network of folks you could make an introduction.

I have attended several conferences lately and I observed how the attendees did not take advantage of mingling with the speakers/presenters or very many of the attendees. I think these are missed opportunities to learn.  You can’t sit on the sidelines and hope to build your business. It takes effort, tenacity and the strategy and tactics to make it all happen.