small business marketing | The Social Ghost - Content Marketing and Ghost Writer

The Future is in Friendship Marketing

If you’ve lived in one location for a while, chances are you know what a small world it really is.

I’ve owned three separate businesses here in Denver over the past 20 years, and over that time period I’ve networked just about everywhere. Today I can’t walk into a restaurant or event without knowing someone – or at least saying, “I know him/her from somewhere.” It comes with the territory.

And if you’ve ever been out on vacation and run into someone you know, again you realize what a small world it is. We were at Disney World in Florida a couple of years ago, and walked down the main stretch of Downtown Disney, only to walk right into a family we knew here from Denver but hadn’t seen in a few years.

It’s not coincidence. It’s simply the fact that the world is getting smaller. Which means that everything you do can either help or hurt you in the future. So its more important than ever to monitor your habits online and off, and always pay attention to the impact you have on your relationships.

What Is Friendship Marketing?

Friendship marketing isn’t about selling. It isn’t about marketing. It’s about creating a friendship base around you so that ultimately you can create a lifestyle you love.

People need certain things in their lives, and they would much rather give their money to a friend than to a business or to someone that simply doesn’t care.

People go to the same salon for a haircut because they enjoy the friendship they’ve created. They don’t just cut your hair, they know you and understand you. They ask about your family and with you a happy birthday. You have to have your haircut anyway, so why not go to a friend?

The same applies to any type of service you choose, whether its heading out to dinner, buying a new outfit for Saturday night, or hiring a marketing firm to help you market your business. You can trust a friend, so it’s important to find the right one.

It’s Possible With Social

You can build strong relationships with people online, even if you are in a different country, and have never met before.

It’s simply a matter of taking what you do in a face-to-face situation and converting that to the online world.

With Twitter, you can monitor what people are saying and respond. You can remember what people are up to and ask questions. You can bring 140 character Twitter conversations to Facebook or to Skype and expand on the relationship. You can even agree to meet at an upcoming event, whether its in your home town, or you meet in another city.

Just like in your face-to-face relationships, it takes little effort because you are dealing with friends. And if you treat your online social friendships the same way, it won’t be work; you’ll be dealing with friends.

“Every person is a new door to a different world.”
- from movie “Six Degrees of Separation”

Filed Under: Online Marketing Tagged With: Friendship Marketing, online marketing, small business marketing, The Future is in Friendship Marketing, using social media

The Secret To Small Business Marketing

It really isn’t a secret when you’re business is doing well. Everywhere you go, people can feel your success. Maybe it’s your energy. Maybe it’s the way you present yourself. In any case, when people sense success, they tend to ask how you got there.

So is there a magic formula to success? Is there some secret that a successful business has that they could simply pass along to everyone else?

Actually, the answer is yes.

1. Do a little research. In today’s world, you can’t hide your road to success. So spend a little time looking around, and discover how a successful company is marketing their business. Are they online? How do they advertise (i.e. magazines, newspapers, radio, direct mail)? What message are they sharing?

2. Talk with the company owner. Every industry has its own internal structure. Look for organizations, tradeshows and associations within your industry. Attend the major events and make sure you get the latest publications. Study up on the industry leaders and find out what they are doing.

3. Find mentors and vendors that can help you emulate the success. If you know an industry leader is getting 50 percent of his business through the Internet, find someone to help you create a dynamic web presence. Discover how to use social networking more effectively. And begin studying up on online marketing techniques.

Then don’t stop. The reason why the majority of small business marketing methods fail is because the business owner doesn’t give them enough time to work. Commit to a handful of ideas, and see them through to success.

Filed Under: Small Biz Marketing Tagged With: small business marketing, The Secret To Small Business Marketing