The New Marketing Landscape
It continues to surprise me when people say they don’t understand the appeal of Social Media. I can’t remember any job that I have ever had where relationship building wasn’t a key criteria to the success of the business relationship. I remember back in the day (ok, I am dating myself lol), where you would take your client to lunch. Business was definitely a topic for discussion, but so was family, vacation plans and hobbies. You actually knew their spouse’s name, how long they had been working at that organization and maybe even what their career aspirations were. And through all that discussion and a few extra pounds, a relationship grew and trust developed.
Where has the trust gone? I’ve watched the pendulum swing to the opposite extreme.. I am a participant in this new generation of consumers who buy products and services online without ever meeting the seller. Money changes hands without a handshake. I myself have been spammed and scammed. Who are you really dealing with? Can you trust it? I understand the wariness and I am tired of the lack of human touch. Maybe we all are.
And so, the pendulum has shifted to the middle. Technology certainly isn’t going away, but at least with the introduction of Social Media, we now have the opportunity once again to connect, to build some kind of community and build trust. I welcome the change. It doesn’t matter whether you are a brick and mortar company or sell your products and services online. Here is an opportunity to showcase our personalities along with our products and services. As a Virtual Assistant, I am asking for clients to trust that I will be honorable, to act in their best interests, to help them grow their business even if I am not on-site under their careful watch. So, for those who are still wary, please follow me on Twitter, read more about me on LinkedIn and by all means become my friend on Facebook. The tools are all there! All it takes is a little time and a little trust. Let’s make that connection!
Joanne
