Your business channel is you. It’s often personal and at the core of what your business does well to create healthy relationships with the communities you serve.
Channeling Your Highest Value
Value always starts at the source. What your company cares deeply about is exactly where you should begin when designing your social media communications.
Traditional media is only interested in the big story, one that is large enough to merit everyone’s attention. That’s not true with social media. It tends to amplify the little things that often go unnoticed.
Savvy businesses understand their community cares most about the little things that only an insider would know.
That’s your highest value, and your business channel (blog, newsletter, and social networks) should be designed to consistently deliver it.
It is always exciting to learn how my small business clients are working to support their communities. Many are so involved the challenge is using the social channels well to effectively convey their good works. Fortunately, with practice social media brings out the best side of every business – and helps to make them even better.
If you really want to get more from your social media, find ways to bring more value to it. It tends to work best at channeling the better and higher value qualities of every business.
Your Channel Relationships
It’s helpful to think of your business channel as a relationship with your community. Why do people enter into and stay in relationships? There is only one reason.
People value only those relationships that make them happier and more successful.
As a business, you should always be thinking about what makes your customers happier:
- Useful Tips
- Expert advice
- Timely reminders
- Interesting stories
- Inspiration
- Unique perspectives
- Innovative or visionary ideas
- Something that makes them smile
Think of your business as a person. That’s the idea behind the channel of you.
The paradox is that by starting with you and your business, which may seem like self-serving approach, you liberate what is valued by your community. It creates a focus that gives them what they really want from the relationship.
Children love their parents and simply want to be engaged with them whenever possible. The parental responsibilities involved in nurturing that relationship are not unlike those a business has with its customers.
If you can bring that mindset to your business channel, your community will love you too, and that will be good for the growth of your business.
How are you using the business channel that social media has afforded you to bring value to your community? Leave a comment below – and feel free to share.
Until next time, Jeff
Photo Credit: Free Digital Photos
Follow Us!