Building Online Relationships

An online presence is vital for any type of business, whether for-profit or nonprofit. The idea is to ultimately build up to a call to action. But before a call to action can be seized upon, two other vital steps need to be taken. The first step is listening.

Listening sounds like an easy task, but really is much more demanding than you may think. It involves taking information and not only seeing what words are said, but also the meaning behind those words. Once you are listening effectively, you'll begin hearing certain patterns of thoughts as they come forth. You'll hear people began talking about themselves and what they find important and what they feel is needed to be successful or to accomplish whatever goals they are trying to accomplish individually. You can then take that information and start forming ideas on how to go to the next step: Mutual engagement.

Mutual engagement is interesting in that it starts creating a dialogue for people to become involved. Everybody wants people to listen to them, but many times they don't know how to engage properly to make that happen. What's the person feels that they have a audience that is focused on what they find to be important, people start developing a conversation. A conversation usually begins with people talking about themselves which is more common than any other way to continue any given conversation, whether personal or business. Many people prefer to give a very short resume of why their thoughts are important and how they've come to their conclusions. As effective as the stuff is, it leads to the one that actually has the biggest impact: a call to action.

A call to action is what motivates people to actually do something. When looking at nonprofits, the call to action usually ends up being a call to donate time or money or sundry items. But a call to action is much more effective when the first two steps of been followed. Listening shows interest in engagement. Mutual engagement shows development of dialogue and allows for people to become connected with an idea or a cause. And finally the call to action gives them a directed outlet that is beneficial to all parties involved.

Why Use Social Media?

I am sometimes asked what type of social media do we use to help promote our team, sell our real estate, and help our friends and clients achieve everything that they want to achieve. The truth of the matter is that without social media in today's society, most communication would come to a screeching halt. Sure, we use email and text messaging and smart phones, but ultimately most large mass messages are passed through social media. Without social media we would not get the updates on day-to-day life or the important notifications that tend to shape not only our days, but our weeks, months, and even our futures.

What type of social media is important to you? As far as we here at the Simonson team are concerned, using such standards as Facebook and Twitter and even Instagram help drive business to our website and to our phones to create conversations for clientele. These are just three of the social media outlets that we use and do not even include the likes of LinkedIn and active rain, both of which are more professional bass as opposed to social-based. When we post on Facebook a new listing that we may have or a buyers need, we are truly reaching out not just to the people we know but also the people that they know and it becomes multiple layers of information being transferred through a lot of different sources almost immediately. We are able to track down help for roofing issues or electrical issues or whatever else may come about. We're able to let people know nationwide if not worldwide about a fabulous new property in the Denver metro area. These are all vitally important to keep you, the consumer, informed and updated!

Another new source that we are using this year is called BombBomb. It is a video email/video blog that we have started using to truly keep in contact with each and everyone of our clientele so that we can pass along information that is pertinent as quickly as possible. We are still learning the ins and outs on that, but are very excited for the potential that it brings to our real estate experience.

While some people feel that too much social media can be a detriment, we find that keeping in touch with people on many levels and not just a business side, but a personal side as well helps truly let people know that we do care about what is going on in their lives and it's not just us presenting information to them. I always want to know what you are up to and what trips you've taken and what issues you may be running into and how we can help or root for you or just send kind words. Always looking to start a conversation, social media allows for a continual flow of ideas that are beneficial across the board.

In 2017 we are looking to reach out and be in contact with each and everyone of you! If you know of another great source for staying in contact, we are always looking for better ways to keep in touch. Let us know, and we will investigate it and use it as best we can!