The Cold Call Is Dead: Long Live the Social Hat Tip

Why do we use social media, be it personally or professionaly?  To be heard.  

This was my takeaway from the recent Edison Research survey, which indicated that 25% of Facebook users visit the network five times or more a day.  And when they visit, they pay more attention to interactions with their posts than the content others are putting up.  

This is a remarkable insight for insightful marketers, entrepreneurs and businesses.  When we first start using social media, we likely reconnect with old friends and curiousity drives our usage.  Then, after the new wears off, we begin to use these platforms to express ourself or be a maven. 

This jives with Dan Zarella's findings at Hubspot, where he indicates that the top reasons we share content are to be "in the know" or to "warn/recommend" to our friends.  Again, it's all about expression.  The psychic currency, then, is for their posts to in turn be liked, shared, commented on, etc. 

So here's the takeaway:  If you want to connect with media, influeners, prospects or your customers, don't interrupt them with a cold call or spam them with a press release or "what's up?" email.  Give them what they want: Attention.  Create lists (Twitter) or preferred feed (Get Notifications/FB) for those you want to build a relationship with.  When they post content that should be shared, share it or comment.  Be additive, though, because it's all about authenticity. 

They will reciprocate by paying more attention to you, and who knows, your hat tip could lead to opporutnities to interact.  In a world where your calls don't get returned and your emails are never opened, the hat tip may be the only way to become signal, instead of noise.  

Case study: Desk Elf and Carol Roth - Edison Research Link 

Watch: Video clip from one of my keynotes on "How To Win Business Using Social Media." 

Connect With Your Prospects Using Social Media (instead of spamming or cold calling them) from Tim Sanders on Vimeo.

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Comments

[Ashley Hoober]

I love the idea of connecting with clients online. Smart. I'm going to start reading more local blogs and commenting more. Great idea Tim. Many thanks!

Ash

[maillot coupe d'europe]

milyen vidám, világos és vidám blog

[sac longchamp a dos]

Én nagyon élveztem ezt a blogot. Úgy érzem erősen róla és szeretet tanulás ebben a témában. Ha lehetséges, ahogy szert szakértelem, lenne szíves frissítése a blog több információt? Rendkívül hasznos a számomra.

[Alleli Aspili]

Hmm, I think cold calling isn’t totally dead. Maybe it can just be gone or aloof for a certain time because social media has become more available and powerful. How about merging both of these approaches? In my opinion, social media is a great tool for your target market to know your existence while cold calling can actually be your second option to know whether your social media marketing efforts are working or not.

[Les medias sociaux]

Social networking is people talking to people. Facebook, Twitter and Youtube Marketing relies on social networking. Your business needs to care about the people it networks with. It also needs to show that it cares.

[gollsamirita]

I surmise I have chosen an intelligent and mind blowing website with interesting material.
www.dealsextra.com.au/living-social.php

[Matt McWilliams]

Tim,

Absolutely agreed. I have gotten more business off of a genuine twitter mention or mention on my blog or in a newsletter than all cold calls or other sales pitches combined.

By the way, there is a typo in your post: your hat tip could lead to opporutnities to interact.

[Charles Plant]

Great post and in the long run you're right. The hard part is how to get someone's attention when you're just starting up. Permission marketing is great when you have peoples' attention but you need to interrupt someone somehow to get some level of attention in the first place.