Six Ways to Make People Like You… In Life and Online

Everyone who has ever held a position in sales or management has heard of Dale Carnegie. Carnegie was a writer and lecturer about self-improvement, salesmanship, interpersonal skills and business relationships who lived from 1888 until 1955. In 1936, he wrote a book that became a bible to aspiring leaders and sales people since its release. The book was called “How to Win Friends & Influence People.” I believe that it may be one of the best books about social media ever written even though it was published 50 years prior to the advent of social media.

Part Two of Carnegie’s book takes the reader through 6 ways to make people like you. This week, I will take you through his suggestions and show you how they make so much sense in the world of digital marketing. It will be a unique week of blog posts but one that could make a real difference in your social media strategy.

Become Genuinely Interested in Other People

This is brilliant advice for the digital marketer. In my strategy blogs, I have indicated that identifying your target market is one of the first steps in building a social media strategic plan. In order for you to see positive results in your social investment, you have to get to know your target audience. Start by answering all those demographic questions about age, gender, location, professional title, etc. Then go one step further, explore their interests.

If you are the manufacturer or distributor of DJ equipment, get to know DJ’s. Join DJ forums, discussions, groups and communities on different platforms. Immerse yourself in their culture. What do DJ’s like? What are they talking about online? Learn as much as possible about them, and then learn more. When you truly understand DJ’s, then you can sell to them, market your products towards and succeed.

Online community management is a huge buzzword right now. Social strategists and analysts are finding that if you create or immerse yourself into a community of people online, engage members, and then offer your product, results are best. Most of the social platforms have some sort of community functions. Facebook has groups. Twitter has hash tags. Google+ has communities. LinkedIn has groups.

My advice for today is to listen to the words of Dale Carnegie and “become genuinely interested in other people.” When you listen online, not only can you sell, but you can change the way your business meets the needs of your customers and that is success.