On a usual train journey if you're like me you'll find a seat and sit there, keep yourself to yourself and read the paper, work on your laptop or read a book. You'll be able to hear snippets of the conversations going on around you but even if one of the convesations sounds of great interest to you; you would never dream of getting up and sitting down to join in with those people talking! Can you imagine their reactions!
On the Social Media Train you can listen to other people's conversations too but
the real difference is when you find an interesting topic on which you have something to add;
you CAN jump in and join the conversation. Using the search function on Twitter you can actually search for specific conversations around your industry or a subject matter close to your heart. That might be a conversation on a completely different Social Media carriage and it might even be on a train in another country!
Listen
So take time to find those people who are having conversations that interest you and begin by just listening. Yep, that's right - just listen. It is socially acceptable to eavesdrop on other people's conversations on social media platforms. They are using a public platform for their discussions and know that other people will be listening, so they won't be offended. In fact people welcome others to join in and contribute to the conversation.
Wouldn't your train journey whizz by if you could just jump in and out of conversations in every carriage of the train?!!
Contribute
Now you've found a few people who are talking about subjects which interest you, take the plunge. Have a think about how you can
enter the conversation and make a contribution.
Don't just broadcast a sales type ad message:
"Hi there. I hear you like skiing. I run a ski holiday company called Ski With Us Now. Book your skiing holiday with us; we're great!"
Instead offer something of value such as your expertise:
"Hi, I see you're thinking of skiing in France. I really recommend Les Deux Alpes or Chamonix. I can recommend some great hotels too."
Perhaps you could also tweet a few links to some interesting websites - not yours. They can find yours via your profile details and
they'll respect you more if they see that you are NOT plugging your own stuff.
Know - Like - Trust
As you start to contribute and have more and more conversations with people you will get to know them and begin to like and slowly, over time you'll start to trust them.
The same is true of the realtionships they'll be forming with you. They will be getting to know; like and trust you too.
This is when the Social Media Magic happens; the sparks begin to fly and before you even realise it, you'll be doing business together!!
But people won't do business with you if you just listen and they definitely won't do business with you if you just broadcast. You have to take part in the conversations. You have to contribute and over time people will get to know you, they'll like you and eventually they'll trust you.
And just remember - we're on all the train journey together - so let's have some fun too along the way.
I'm off to the buffett car. Look forward to meeting you there!
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