The following excerpt by Craig Valentine is from Success Secrets of The Social Media Marketing Superstars.
Craig Valentine, 1999 World Champion of Public Speaking, has traveled the world and trained thousands of presenters on developing world class speaking skills. He continues to help entrepreneurs develop powerful presentations that quickly generate leads, customers and vast profits.
Craig and I co-lead the 12-week World Class Speaking Coach Certification Program. Get the full story here.
What is the number one reason people will do business with you over others? Is it price? Is it quality? Is it convenience? The answer might surprise you because it is none of these three.
In fact, the number one reason people will do business with you is confidence. They must have confidence that what you say is true and what you offer will help them reach or exceed their goals.
The six communication keys below will help you build a loyal following and earn the kind of confidence that can grow a lucrative business:
Key #1: Give a Glimpse into Your life
One of the biggest mistakes new social media users make is trying to take old-time marketing methods into this new social media world. Many of them look at social media as a place to market with sales letters and traditional “build your list” strategies. There is just one problem. They are not being social! If you expect to profit from social media without being social, you can forget it. It is called social media for a reason. It is not enough to show your products. You must also let people get to know you.
Key# 2: Use Stories to Stand out from the Clutter
Seth Godin wrote, “You’re either remarkable or invisible.” It is very easy to become invisible on social media because there is so much clutter and so many messages flying around various platforms. Being remarkable simply means having something on which people can remark. The most effective way to be remarkable is to tell your story and share your message. This is how you build the buzz about what you have to offer.
Key # 3: Start Juicy Conversations
Social media is not a monologue, it’s a group discussion. Doing drive-by sales letters or giving hit-and-run messages will not work. It’s important to become part of the conversation and that means often times starting the conversation.
Key # 4: Deepen their Involvement by Offering a Next Step
Unfortunately, far too many social media users give their prospects too many options for next steps. I have seen blog entries that have four or five different links at the bottom with the hopes that the readers will choose one.
The Problem with Giving Multiple Options
When you give several options for next steps, it not only confuses your audience but also dilutes your message. If you want your readers or viewers to act on one of your messages, then that entire message should be developed to get them to take one specific next step. That is impossible to do if you have several steps. The key is to be clear in telling them what to do. People have enough choices to make in their lives. Make it easy on them by choosing for them.
Key # 5: Build Trust by Linking to Other Experts
You influence others when they feel you have their best interest in mind. One of the most effective ways to demonstrate your interest in their success is to link them to other people who can help them. Too many marketers damage the trust of their followers by always putting themselves as the logical next step. Social media superstars mix it up by highlighting other people who can help.
Key # 6: Break Through the Clutter by Coming Out with a Bang
How do most presenters open their presentations? Usually they say something like, “Thank you for having me here. It is so great to be among such honored guests. This is a great day for me.” At that point the audience thinks, “Who cares?” What we have to understand about online and offline communicating is that the first 30 seconds is critical to our success. Within the first 30 seconds of a speech, your audience realizes whether or not they want to hear more. In social media circles, you actually have less time because your audience members have more choices available at their fingertips. Within the first few sentences of text or the first few seconds of your video, your prospects will decide whether or not they want more. The key to your success is to come out with a bang.
Here are some ways you can come out with a bang using social media:
• With blogs your bang is often your provocative title for the post. Your titles should be like the headline in a newspaper that lures your readers into your first line of text. This is why questions make great titles. Your readers will want to know the answer.
• With videos and audio clips, immediately jump into a story. Once people get mentally into a story, it is in their DNA to stick around to see how it ends. Most marketers take way too long to begin their story. That is a costly mistake. You come out with a bang when you tell your story from your very first words.
The bottom line in social media is all about building the confidence others place in you.
These six keys will help you do that. When people get to know, like, and trust you, you automatically cut through the clutter of information they receive and stand out as someone they want to follow. Bringing old, outdated marketing techniques into the new social media world is a recipe for disaster. Instead, join the conversation that is already taking place, and add value to it. Social media is the wave of the present and the future, so do more than dip your toes in it. Jump in fully and immerse yourself. When you emerge as the go-to person in your field of expertise, you can enjoy the lucrative business that is sure to come.
Craig and I co-present the World Class Speaking Coach Certification Program once a year. Learn more about this 12 week course here and grab your free speaking toolkit while you are there