Building Traction
The value of engagement is in staying connected.
No, traction is not the treads on your tires or the treads on the bottom of your hiking boots. Although it is about building a strong connection with your customers through your brand. In the start-up, world traction means the success you’ve seen so far or the proof you have that demonstrates to customers the value and unique solution you have that solves their problems. Essentially, it’s building customer engagement and validation of your value, knowledge, and insights.
Bombardment.
That’s what I call all the unsolicited connection requests and pitches we all get…from LinkedIn, emails “inviting us” to connect as “business partners”, and from salespeople, with a world of services, we have no reason to be interested in. And, when we actually do see a service or something that catches our attention they provide an unwanted and misdirected litany of reasons why that offering will benefit us and provide exactly what we need to solve all our problems, even though they have no idea of what we really do, what our business may actually need.
Mass marketing is easy but connecting is hard.
For companies in the business-to-business world or even the consumer world, building a trusted connection is everything. Yet when you’re barely known how do you even begin to create this and build value for those you see who could get the most value from you.
In today’s hypermedia world, with instant visuals, texts, and Instagram postings, not to mention endless ads, how does anyone really connect with people? Isn’t it really about people making choices and seeing value?
Learning about your audience and what brings value to them is the key.
Be intelligent. Know things. Don’t sell, Share Ideas.
Spend the time to know what matters and is valued deeply by decision-makers. In the business-to-business world, where a sale or new business relationship could be months or years in the making, it’s all about building a valued connection over time. The value comes from really understanding what matters, the factors that come into play in decision making, and, ultimately, knowing when and how to listen, trust and connect.
Providing ongoing value is the key to everything.
Value. It’s about what really matters to decision-makers. How do you quantify value? You learn about who you’re connecting with. Do you know the reasons behind the choices your customers make? What are they looking for?
Always tell good stories.
Where’s the problem that was solved? This means you illustrate ideas and information with engaging content that describes problems and solutions, building your audience’s awareness of how you provide value. It’s the way to build connection, brand awareness, and engagement over time.
Nurture the Relationship.
The result is that as you deliver valued content to your prospects, they begin to associate your brand with that value. You’re on your way to becoming the trusted and knowledgeable expert, always adding to the connection.
3 Things Are Essential to Build Traction.
1 – Permission-based
Giving choice to your audience provides you with permission to connect…they own the relationship.
2 – Knowing what matters to them
Probably the most important point. Really understand what matters to your audience so you can always be adding real value that they want, building a relationship, and learning from what they download and respond to.
3 – Provide ongoing Informative content
Value is what everyone wants. With so much push content sent out why read anything? When it comes to sharing content, it’s about informing and adding to what decision-makers need and want to know to do their job better. This makes you the expert.