Coffee or Tea? If you’re like millions of people in the world, you like to drink coffee in the morning, or maybe even all day. When you want to get to know something about your clients, don’t you ask them if they would like to meet you for a cup of coffee? Do you offer them a beverage when they meet you in the office? I bring this up because inviting someone out to coffee or lunch is just like starting a relationship through social media. You start a conversation by asking a question; “Would you like a cup of coffee?”
“In the real world”, as people say sometimes, you would ask your (potential) client if they would like coffee or tea, and then follow that with asking other probing questions about how you can help them. You want to learn about them to find out how you can best help them, or what product you have would work best for them. You learn about them. You create a relationship. So, what, then, is the difference with doing the same thing on Twitter? Ultimately, by asking questions and learning about people through social media, you are doing the same thing you would be doing “in real life”. You are creating a relationship.
Recently, I met with 8 women that I got to know through Twitter. The relationships I have made with those women have not only helped me and my business grow, but they have also taught me how really getting to know someone, through any channel, is worth every minute. You just never know what connections you can make through social media, until you try; especially in business.
So, keep an open mind, and ask a few questions. Start a conversation.