Converting Your Connections to Fans

Conversations are the key to converting your connections into advocates and fans.  This applies to social media connections as well as traditional face-to-face contacts.  All customer relationships are built on trust. And trust is

It is the interactive exchange of information that facilitates a conversion form contact to customer, advocate, or fan. In the virtual world, this exchange of information often looks more  like a conversation.  However, until that conversation, virtual or not, takes place, there is not enough trust or credibility established to facilitate a conversion from curious connector to fan or advocate.

Converting a follower into a fan or advocate requires a series of engaging interactions.  These interactions can be:

• perspectives exchanged through the social media platforms regarding news or events
• comments shared on blog posts or articles
• recommendations made to links of value or interest
• short message interactions on a platform like Facebook

Building an on-line, social media based relationship requires that you find some way to engage connections you are interested in building a relationship with.  Just like you may work on discovering ways to engage people in conversation at a networking event, the process is similar in social media programs. You need to discover ways to engage people in interactive exchanges, or conversations.  Until you have these conversations, your followers and connections will be distantly and passively connected to your business.  Converting them to fans and advocates requires an interactive, trust building exchange of information and ideas.

Dave Cooke is CEO of Strategic Resource Group, llc an organization specializing in helping businesses increase their revenues through effective growth initiatives and employee development programs. His contributions and insights can be found on his blog posts, SalesCooke and Sustainable Revenues.  He has also developed a new program for sustainable revenues in a down economy, known as SuRF.  To download this case study go to: SurfWhitePaper.com.