We are living through a revolution of social interaction that has the ability to create a better future for those who choose to capitalize on it.
In this ‘new normal’, where relationships are built and managed online, individuals and businesses are being given an unbelievable opportunity. Relationships are no longer limited to your immediate circle of clients, friends, or a geographic region. Social media allows authentic connections to be created, at scale.
In the past, brands have had to choose between marketing strategies that had the purpose of building personal relationships or that were scalable. The closest they could come to doing both was using an email marketing platform to send out an email blast and “personalize” it by inserting the first name of each recipient.
Present yourself AUTHENTICALLY
Over the last decade, fake news has become commonplace, manipulation has come to be expected, and success is now measured by the number of followers you have.
That is all coming to an end.
People have been forced to become habitually skeptical of everything they consume on the internet because a lot of what is out there is fake. So much so, that we are now able to discern what is bullshit from what is real.
If brands can no longer be fake we need to identify the characteristics of real relationships.
Let’s take a moment for a thought experiment:
- Think about your three most cherished relationships.
- Think about three people you follow on social media that you have never met or spoken, but you feel a strong connection with them.
- Think about three brands that you follow on social media with that you feel a sense of loyalty to.
- Think of three podcasts that you love and religiously listen to.
What do all of those relationships have in common? What are the qualities of those connections that you love so much? Why does each of those stand out in your mind?
We find that a few of the commonalities between all of those relationships are; honesty, trust, vulnerability, openness, and aligning values. All of these characteristics can be described in one word, AUTHENTICITY.
But, what does it mean to be authentic?
BE YOU.
It means being honest about who you are, what you value most, and expressing your truest self. This means that brands do not just share the “perfect” aspects of life, because that is not what life is really like.
Brands are going to have to get comfortable with being vulnerable. Vulnerability is hard because it has been seen as a weakness in the past, but it is now perceived as a strength.
By allowing yourself to be vulnerable and expressing your truest self, you are creating a bond with those around you who have values that align with yours.
Loyalty is then created over time as people begin to trust you to be honest.
Always ask “WHY”.
We have been taught to ask questions that begin with, “What”.
“What do you do?”
“What is your product?”
“What can you do for me?”
Etc.
But, why is that?
“What” predicates an external question. It is easy to ask and easy to answer because it does not take much effort to explain something that is visible on the surface. But, surface-level conversations lead to surface-level relationships.
On the other hand, “why” predicates a question that will require thought and effort to ask and answer. It is that thought and effort that allows for one’s authentic self to be seen and deeper relationships to be fostered.
We have reached a point where there is not much variance in the quality of products and services that are offered. This has led society to begin to realize that we may have been asking and answering the wrong questions.
When you start to create content with questions that start with “why” in mind, you will naturally begin to be more authentic. You will also become more comfortable sharing your values and being vulnerable with your audience.
Conclusion
So, why would you want to do all of this? Because we are living through a generational shift in how relationships are created and fostered. A time where authenticity is gaining more and more value to society.
If you begin to create deeper relationships with your audience now, you will generate loyalty to your brand, which will lead to long term success.
If you are interested in hearing more about why being authentic is important, we will be participating in a panel discussion at #denverstartupweek on September 14th.
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