Creating connection as a marketing strategy
As business owners and entrepreneurs, we are very familiar with the terms networking and connection making. I know it can seem a little dry and overused but I want you to change the way you look at it as a whole because networking can actually do so much more for your brand than what you may already know.
The people and businesses you have in your network aren't always just there for healthy competition, they actually do so much more and can benefit in more ways than one. So, that’s what I want to show you, the best way to build connections is not just for word-of-mouth reputation but for marketing and brand awareness as well!
What is connection marketing?
Building connections is one of the best ways to build a business, we are social beings at heart so sharing content, ideas and promoting other businesses as well as other businesses doing this for you, means that everyone is benefitting.
But, if we want to get a little more specific, connection marketing can be seen as another form of networking (and it can actually be a lot of fun). Connection marketing is building connections to build up your content and your business, and it can actually be a two-way street.
Dan Slagen from medium.com (you can check out his blog here) puts this definition beautifully by describing it as using the power of human connectivity to reach certain business goals - which is really the epitome of entrepreneurship! To pull off content marketing you need to be comfortable with the idea of building other businesses and brands to also build up yours, a super unique and powerful way to reach goals you may not be able to on your own.
Connection marketing is all about having people around you to help build up your content and spread awareness of your brand - it’s essential! So it’s time to break out of your shell and push yourself out of your comfort zone, time to start networking and building connections!
Human connection in marketing
In the fight between collaboration and competition, collaboration always wins!
Within the entrepreneurial world, it is super important to remember that helping build up another business will NOT do damage to your own, which I know is how a lot of business owners think, but it simply isn't the truth. Collaboration and communicating with other businesses that align with yours will do so much more good than harm, not just for you but for your audience as well.
Connection marketing is also really helpful when it comes to brand awareness. It builds trust within both audiences for both businesses involved and can act as a referral program that can really boost your reliability, trustworthiness, and value as a brand overall - and in this industry, that’s everything!
That ‘referral’ type marketing can actually be really beneficial when put into action, you can even officially create one for your own business! For example, Content Queen has its very own referral program that you can see here, where we have a cool little offer for the referrals we do get! That's one way we have found that collaborations can really spark because both parties get something in return for their effort and hard work - a win for everyone!
Otherwise, another powerful form of collaboration is word-of-mouth marketing which I’m sure you all know a lot about! All business owners should remember that when people talk about you to others, it is SO influential so make sure they have great things to say, you never know who could hear!
But, with any sort of connection, clicks, or traffic, make sure you know where your leads come from (learn how by taking the challenge below) and work them! Strengthen those leads and really nurture the parts of your business where clients are coming from, because if you get a couple you never know how many more could show up with just a little more effort.
With any collaboration, you should never forget that outsourcers and freelancers are VERY well connected, so even small gestures like story mentions, resharing content, writing a blog for another business or even being a podcast guest, can take your business so much further and expand into a much larger audience pool. And remember this doesn't just benefit you, it benefits your business, the business you're collaborating with, both of your audiences, and will even expand your knowledge, so what’s there to lose??
It takes a community to raise a business (just like it takes a village to raise a child) so never be afraid to put yourself out there and talk to people, make connections and promote your knowledge and what you have to offer. The opportunities for brand awareness and growth are endless!
Connection marketing strategies
So with all the benefits of connection marketing, how do you tackle it, and where the heck do you start? Well, it can actually be really simple and chances are you’re already actioning these things and don’t know it yet!
Here is a list of some of Content Queen’s favorite ways to become a connection marketing pro!
How do you do this?
Start collaborating now! The power of collaborating is something we covered on the Content Queen podcast, check out Episode 82 now to learn more!
Share good content that you see from other people that are aligned with your business and brand. Share it to your Instagram stories and share it with your network, you’ll see how much value it holds.
If you write a blog and mention a brand, tell them! They might share it on their social media or they might link to your article - always remember brand awareness is key
Don’t wait for people to come to you, taking the first step to open up that conversation with other businesses WILL pay off
Attend events offline (or online depending on your situation)
Look at investing in your business
Ask people to connect you with others
OUTSOURCE
Ask for feedback on things in your business. Getting a second opinion can help you pick up on trends you never would have thought of before, even Content Queen did this in our Facebook group as a type of market research!
Spend time on the engagement and have a look at your analytics, I promise it matters
Touch base for the sake of it, not because you need something
Send voice notes/video notes or even messages to connect with people
Engage in all kinds of community groups
Work on compiling some user-generated content (which means getting people to create content for you), whether it be blogs, captions, stories, or whatever else is in your content strategy!
Any or all of these connection marketing strategies are amazing ways to grow your network and create that all-important brand awareness, so start reaching out to others brands, businesses, and entrepreneurs and see where it takes you.
Challenge for you this week around generating leads
This week we wanted to challenge all of our business owners and entrepreneurs out there to break out of that solo box that we can sometimes find ourselves in.
Have a go at this challenge to start generating leads for your business, and make sure to let us know how you went by documenting progress on your stories and tagging @contentqueenmariah on Instagram!
Here’s your challenge!
List down where your clients (or potential client) come from
Start documenting this (you can use any platform, channel, or application you like)
Reach out and ask them where they come from
Check the analytics!!
Through this, have a look and see what channels work and where you need to focus your marketing efforts on
Final thoughts
Building connections and starting to network through connection marketing doesn't have to be rocket science, it can actually be a lot of fun!
Attend networking events, join coaching programs or simply reach out, don't be afraid to make the first move, and just start chatting.
So if you’re thinking about how to integrate a connection marketing strategy into your content schedule, why not have a look at how Content Queen can help you out! Content Queen is here for ALL of your possible content and marketing needs, so if you want to check out what you can get from us, head over to our page through the link below and see for yourself what we've got to offer!
If you find value in this blog, make sure you share it with me on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram! Even better, share it with your audience! You can also listen to the episode below!
