Building relationships is the end goal

Veronica Giggey, September 11 2008

Our CEO said it best “we transform companies.” Our goal is not to help companies build brand awareness through social media tactics. Our goal is to help them take steps to form meaningful relationships with their stakeholders. That’s what we like doing and what helps our customers be most successful.

With such a big goal in mind, the starting point is always the same. We listen. Where are people talking, what are they talking about and how do these conversations create an opportunity for our clients? Now; the definition of opportunity will vary, but we never lose site of our end goal – building those relationships.

So that’s what we do for companies. Can you apply this to yourself, as an individual?

Take a look at Chris Brogan’s Guide on Personal Branding. It’s full of great, practical advice on how to build your personal brand. Chris starts out with the reasons why you would want to build your personal brand; being memorable, differentiating yourself. These are your opportunities. When you read the eBook, think about the differences between your end goal and your opportunitues. Today might be about a new job or a new client. Tomorrow it’s about research or customer satisfaction. The tactics are all there, just don’t forget that building relationships is the end goal.

Discussion

Brandon Carlos on September 19th, 2008
I think one mistake that corporations, in particular, make when it comes to social media is neglecting it's golden rule-- this is a SOCIAL space! The end result is to build fruitful relationships with the people that matter most to your organization-- your employees and your customers. Chris's blog is great. I'd also recommend Rohit Bhargava's blog, Influential Marketing. http://rohitbhargava.typepad.com/
Veronica Giggey on September 22nd, 2008
Hi Brandon, thanks for the link and your comment. Rohit's blog is in my reader and added your as well.
Angela Connor on October 27th, 2008
It's too bad that more organizations and individuals do not understand that the relationships are key and they take time to cultivate. This is a fact I tried very hard to drive home during a session at the NC Center for Nonprofits Statewide conference. As a community manager i witness the mistakes. i see the intentions and then i see it all go downhill. Marketers need to take more time to understand the culture of the community. Five mistakes to avoid when marketing through online communities/
Lyndon Holland on January 9th, 2009
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