“The most important ingredient we put into any relationship is not what we say or what we do, but what we are. And if our words and our actions come from superficial human relations techniques (the Personality Ethic) rather than from our own inner core (the Character Ethic), others will sense that duplicity. We simply won’t be able to create and sustain the foundation necessary for effective interdependence.” – Stephen Covey
Some of you already know that I am a social media strategist who is also a professionally trained and certified coach. After working and talking with many clients, it has been my experience that these two professions complement each other perfectly. As with social media marketing, the coaching methodology ascribes to the belief that each party in a relationship has something valuable to offer, and with that, each person commits to an interdependent relationship with listening as the cornerstone.
As I think about leveraging the social media space as an online marketer, I can’t think of anything more relevant than using the principles of coaching to cultivate relationships and develop customer loyalty:
- Listen: Honor the intellectual capital of your online communities
- Converse: Become a conversational listener and let your communities know that you are listening!
- Co-Create: Commit to developing and nurturing interdependent relationships
Becoming a coach was a life-changing experience. One of the biggest lessons I learned: Acknowledge, embrace and honor the resources people bring to relationships. This has opened up a realm of possibilities for me both personally and professionally. The same is in store for businesses and brands who listen, converse and co-create.
How is your brand or business listening, conversing and co-creating on Facebook, Twitter and other social channels?
