This guest post is by Jean Compton of jeancompton.com.
In the Febuary 2011 issue of Inc. Magazine, Gary Vaynerchuck was interviewed regarding how he runs his many business ventures under the umbrella of VaynerMedia.
Talking about his show, Wine Library TV, he was quoted as saying:
“Some people think I’m a huckster, but with the show, my intent isn’t to sell our wine. It’s to educate people about wine. There’s a big difference.”
Are you educating or are you selling? Because if all you’re doing is selling…
”You turn your site into QVC,”
and—in Vaynerchuk’s mind—you lose.
“Engagement is the key to building real relationships with the people you do business with.”
Selling is one-sided. Educating is servicing. It builds trust so that people recognize you as the authority and know they can come to you for quality information.
It’s more of an interaction. You’re giving away free content, useful information that makes them come back for more.
Now you have a dialog going. The reader, viewer, fan, etc., begins to recognize your “brand.” They trust what you say.
“People want to be heard and feel like their opinions matter.”
Maybe they show up to “buy” your unique personality. But, even if they’re not necessarily liking you, they are enjoying the benefits of all that juicy, free info and useful, actionable tips that they can take away. In other words, you fill a need.
“Too many people think this one-on-one stuff doesn’t scale, but giving a shit has an enormous return yield.”
Your sharing is a win/win and, in the long run, you’ll have their attention for the long haul, not just for the fly-by-night latest fad. With time and hard work, naturally people will be directed to your door—and your business.
“Once everybody understands the value of engagement, everybody will do it.”
So, don’t be a one-hit-wonder. Educate, build trust, develop a dialog, and make a built-to-last brand.
Jean is a blogger. She mostly writes about topics to help you relax, de-stress and change your world. Contact her/get a free, guided meditation at: http://jeancompton.com/.
