Reconnect with Your Sphere of Influence Over Shared Experiences
The holidays are an incredible time to connect with your audience based on shared experiences! Bring the social aspect back into your social media. Reach out to your friends, local industry professionals, and past clients that you haven’t spoken to in a while. Send a quick note just to let them know you’re thinking about them, and want to connect.
Skip the text, Go Straight to Social Media Instant Messenger:
Instead of sending an email or text, try a direct message through your preferred social channel. Facebook Messenger and Instagram Direct Messages have very high open rates and will be more useful to start conversations. A study done by Mobile Monkey found that Messenger averages 70-80 percent open rates and 20 percent clickthrough rates. You may be surprised at what benefits come out of sending a quick message. Maybe you offer something fun to get people involved, perhaps you take holiday cookie requests from your friends and family, or you drop off small gifts to your past clients. Pair your social media with a personal follow up to solidify your presence in that person’s life. Make it authentic to your brand, and go with what feels natural for your business.
Keep it Authentic and Client First:
This is not the time to force a sales pitch, so avoid inauthentic marketing during these busy times. Connect with people over shared experiences, and keep the focus on how to help them. Use a Client-First approach to deepen your relationships. Having a real relationship with clients will help you become more than just your job title. Share who you are. Being human in your brand will reinforce your message and help people connect with your brand.
Don’t forget about other service professionals, reach out to them as well to see if you can help each other. Referrals are at the heart of your business, so keep your sphere of influence close to you. A great way to start a partnership is to congratulate someone on their success and say that you value their role and would send clients to them. Starting this dialogue now provides the opportunity to send each other business all year. Take this perfect opportunity to communicate your goals to your fellow industry professionals. It can even be as simple as giving them a shoutout on your social media or leaving a review for them.
There are so many opportunities to start 2020 off with a bang and rekindle your support network. Between now and new years, try to connect with as many people as possible! Use your digital tools to benefit your network. Put the time in now, and enjoy the benefits all year long!