Sometimes good marketing can be boiled down to relationships. Build strong relationships and those relationships can effectively market you on your behalf. By seizing opportunities to foster and create new connections opportunities for your growth multiply. Review your social and work calendars and get out to events, take part on panels, and keep connecting with your network. You never know when your relationships may market you and your business in unexpected ways.
Often it isn’t even a direct connection that brings forth an awesome opportunity. A direct connection may mention you to one of their new connections who is in need of some advice about the topic or service you are all about. Turn the cliché “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” on its head. Instead, remember “it’s not who you know, it’s who knows you know what you know.”
Recently, I had an engagement party, which as luck would have it brought two strangers together. One is on a board for an organization that works to preserve land. The other is looking for ways to, you guessed it…preserve the land he owns. Who knows what this new connection will lead to, but this chance encounter and other connections like this would have never occur without getting out and meeting up with people.
However, had I known that these two were aligned I would have reached out to one or the other to introduce them and their shared interest, with their permission of course. It’s important to remember that people want to help other people, so make it easy for them to help. Keep your connections abreast of what you are up to and how you are helping advance the field you are in. The next time that topic comes up, your name is much more likely to pop into their head.
Be sure to return the favor by sharing the skills of your own network with new connections when the opportunity arises. A good referral is a worth so much to those getting connected and could get you a referral in return.
How have your relationships helped you market you or your business?
I work for an organization that works to develop land…any chances you know someone who needs to develop their land?
I'll keep you posted. Thanks for letting me know! 🙂