Are you a human being or just a human doing?

Social media puts a human face on our business

It seems to be the in-thing to say:  Social media puts a human face on our business.

I suspect more than half of you reading this post don’t have a clue what this means, what I’m talking about or how this is going to help your business make more sales.

I look at the idea of being human as an opportunity to connect with your customers on a relationship level versus just making another sale. It means you put people first and you use your marketing message to let your customers know what makes your company unique.

You may think you’re benefiting from posting a ton of sales messages on your Facebook fan page and then tweeting them out to anyone who will listen. I’m here to tell you that you’re wrong. What you lose in volume of sales promotions, you’ll make up with deeper connections that will yield long term relationships.

Yes, it takes time to reply to those Facebook comments and to engage in conversations with your customers on your blog. That time has a value and the end result of responding can lead to more loyal customers.

I see you

Take a look at this passage from The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook by Peter Senge:

Among the tribes of northern Natal in South Africa, the most common greeting, equivalent to “hello” in English, is the expression: “sawu bona.” It literally means, “I see you.” If you are a member of the tribe, you might reply by saying “sikhona” or “I am here.” The order of the exchange is important: until you see me, I do not exist. It’s as if, when you see me, you bring me into existence.”

Check out these brands on the social networks: Zappos.com, Whole Foods and Starbucks. Follow them on Twitter, Pinterest and become a fan on Facebook. Watch how they engage with their audience as if they’re all saying, “I see you because you are here.”

When we look at this diverse group of brands, ask yourself, “What do they have in common?” While it’s true that all of these companies were risk-takers with their successful social media campaigns, the fact is they all chose a non-traditional path to share their message with their customers. Their overall marketing message was true to who they are and what makes them unique.

What does being ‘Human’ mean to you?

Social media is about giving your company a place to pull back the velvet curtain and let your customers see more, learn more and tell you more. What we’ve learned about social media is that your customers are listening.

They were there for you when something happened in your business to cause you to fail. And they were there when you got back up.

Or what if you’re reaching out to new customers? Being human will make it easier for them to be there for you because they know you’re being true to yourself and what your company stands for. They know you’re not perfect but your honesty will make it easier for them to trust you. And for those reasons, you will succeed.

Being human is more than a state of mind. It’s more than a state of doing. It’s a state of being, a human being. (click here to tweet this!)

Photo credit: Traditional Business World at War

PS This is part of one of the sessions in my Social Media with Strategy online course. If you haven’t signed up, click here to get started today! It’s free, you’ll learn more about your company and how to use social media. What’s stopping you from learning more about your inner social media-ness?