Today Conversation Agent turns 3. We're working on a special project together to celebrate this moment with your stories of connection on Twitter #twittertales. More than 100 marketing conversations and counting, many in the comments. If you really want to know the secret of what it takes to make true connections follow me on a guided tour of some of the blogs I read.
They are the ones written by people who like who they are and keep it real. Those who connect the dots and are generous. Those who are in the organic marketing business, as well as those of generarion why. All of these exchanges have not been merely about reading and writing on blogs. They where a welcome opportunity to off line encounters and in several cases projects together.
Many of the people I chose to feature, I met in person. The interview came after the connection and only in some rare cases it was before. And yes, a lot of what happens here is about you. So thank you for reading and agreeing to meet ups over the years.
What are some tips that help connections become relationships? (these might sound a lot like advice you'd want to give marketers, too)
- having no time limit or expiration date on continuing the conversation
- finding reasons to move from online to off line and face to face
- creating projects with each other, especially to borrow from strengths
- being willing to stick around over time
- paying attention and giving time
- listening to feedback and taking it into consideration
- being open to being wrong on occasion, or at least not wanting to be right all the time
- giving valuable information and counsel
- helping someone find a community of their peers
- publishing thoughts and words in a common language
- staying approachable and open
- staying in touch over time, over coffee, over business recommendations, over any reason you can think of to be helpful
The one thing that makes you larger than life and sought out is actually what keeps you pocket size, adaptable, grounded and genuine. It helps if you redefine what it means to connect, and if the game you play is infinite. It's the difference between being a brand and becoming a lovemark.
3 is a magic number. There's a lot that can happen in less time, but three gives you breadth, depth, and range. You can accomplish a lot when you put your mind to it. Start today by adding what makes a connection become a relationship for you to this list, then go ahead and do more of that.
And if you think that learning to integrate content that has value, educates, entertains, and allows you to interact with your peers in marketing, what we call advertising, and public relations, then please go over here and vote for our SxSWi panel. More right brain reasons to vote here.