Going to step back for a quick second and tell a more personal story before I get right into how you can use social media to stay better connected then ever with your past/current clients.

All to often, once the sale is done, we get a kind thank you, and its over. Think of any fast food restaurant, or department store, these people are trained to get through as many people as they physical can. Little time to build a relationship before or during the sale, and a simple “Thanks, we hope you come again” is all that should be said when the sale is done. That’s fine, these businesses function on mass productivity, and for the most part it works – Although you must wonder how much more successful they would be if they all made a personal connection with ever customer.

What get’s to me a little bit though is the bigger purchases, the ones that you just don’t do on your way home from work (or at lest the majority of us). Purchasing a car, or a house are big, big deals, even more if it is your first. When I first purchased my car, it was a good experience, the salesperson was polite, and assisted me through the process. But once the deal was done, well I got a card (before leaving the office). That’s fine I understand that they don’t have the time to call me ever month to see how my truck is running (and personally I won’t want that), but I honestly can’t remember his name, and that’s a problem. Although car buying happens more often than house purchases, it’s still a very competitive market, as there are lots of choices out there – and it’s not a $20 decision for the buyer. So to loose out on the opportunity to build that relationship with me so that I may come back, or better become a Raving Fan of your product and send all my friends and family is a huge mistake – (not saying I’m amazing, this is an anyone situation).

So you know what you need to do – Be Remarkable –

With all the tools that we have at our fingertips these days, it takes only minutes to stay connected with someone. Ask them to join you on Facebook, or see if they would be interested in receiving daily updates on Twitter. If they’re in business, see if they would like to become your connection on Linkedin or Plaxo.

Build these relationships, stay connected with people and inspired them to connect you with others. That’s the simple rule of Socialnomics – and if your not doing it, someone else is.

Recently, we here at Muirhead Marketing & Sales have gone through a move – Well it’s actually currently on-going but let’s say that it’s pretty much done. This made me have to check emails in coffee shops, read blog posts on my laptop while being surrounded by boxes and talk with clients about their campaigns as I was driving down the road (if it was more than a few second conversation I would pull over).
This got me thinking, we are able to connect easer with people than we ever had, and carry on the conversation from almost any location. I’ll give a few examples –

This week was the mobile marketing conference in Toronto – Little Snap Shoot of what went on! Now, I was unable to attend this conference but because the power of my social network, and social media, I am able to get some of the information.

This is a huge element of Social Networking and Social Media. Your ability to get information, and share information in really time, and then for days, weeks, months or years to come. Plus, you can always send someone to a past article, or bring up older videos (it’s like those classic family video’s).
Plus, much like it was during the move, you can continue to share no matter where you are, and at any time. Unlike a phone call, you can post a video at 2:00am, leave a link or embed it, and your viewers can get the information at a good time for them.

Well, off to move a few more items – like I said, it’s not done yet!

I am going to take a departure from my normal posts, and talk much more personally for a minute – Don’t Worry this is not a love fest, and yes I’ll relate everything back to Connection Marketing -

Alright with the said, this week I have been experiencing Truck Trouble. I needed a boost on Sunday evening, couldn’t get my battery replaced on Monday, spent Tuesday sitting around waiting for a part, and Wednesday, I need a lift to a Tow Truck after I broke down, but it started right when we went to load it onto the Tow Truck, and couldn’t find the trouble after that.

Alright, so then today happened, my Truck appeared fine, but as I went in to get lunch, when I came to my truck it would not start. Finally after a few frustrating hours, I got another tow to a local shop of Active Green & Ross but this is where the story really begins. Well actually just before that.

I had broken down just across the street from Active Green & Ross (AGR) so I walked across the street to see if they might lend me a hand. Now I’m not a paying costumer, and did not indicated that I would be giving them anything, but very quickly and kindly, they offered a booster pack to see if that would solve the problem. IT DIDN’T but the impression had started. After letting my truck sit for a while, I came back to it, and again it would not start. So again, across the street I go, and again they offered help, this time a young sales manager – Steve – came across with me to lend a hand. Still nothing, but Steve was very quick to offer a push across the road – PAUSE – due to liability issues this did not happen, but I think if we were not right in Barrie, Steve and a few other guys would have gotten me there no questions asked.

So, one very quick tow later, it was in the shop, but this time they took there time to look around, and found out it was a simple miss-connection with the battery. They quickly fixed that, and didn’t make me pay a cent for the time. However, at this point and time I was so impressed I asked them to due a oil change, the fan was building.

Once they started to do the change, they found trouble – Which I did know about – and they offered to fix them, in less time than other shops had said, and for less money. What do you think I said – “Yep Go For It”

However, due to a miss-communication, they fixed more than they had told me about, but because they had not told me, they did not charge me! I thought this was almost too good to be true, but it go me thinking.

They have just successful, and easily made a lifer, someone who will not take his Truck or whatever it is to them, and recommend them. Which (and I’m going to quickly bring this in) is the main goal of a Connection Marketing Campaign. It is to connect with people on a personal level, create a good relationship, and finally get them so pumped about what you do is they start talking about it openly and everywhere.

So AGR has created a Raving Fan out of me, and made me think of something – What Do I Do that would make people want to right about what I have done for them? What is my remarkable offering? Follow this link to go deeper into what remarkable offers mean.