Blowing in the wind

Clients and potential clients ask me how they can come to the top of Google, how to use pay per click and where can they buy an email list of names to get their product or service in front of thousands of potential customers. Unfortunately the new marketing model just doesn’t work that way.

The truth is I’ve yet to meet a business owner who made it big with Google, pay per click or a purchased list.

I’m sure you get those email “blasts” and maybe never even open them — unless of course you can win a prize or get a discount. Email blasts to unknown recipients are seeds in the wind and even if you’ve got the money to blow, those seeds need to be planted.

CRM (defined to your left) is your database — the interactions, engagements or touch points — that build relationships and your authentic community.

Your “relationship” with current and future customers is where the focus must be. For most of us, 10 new clients would be a hay day. I mean 10 of the ideal client — the one you’re ready for, the one that brings your business to the next level — that kind of client.

Too many times we see the person we are networking with as a potential sale, however it’s my contention that each individual, each conversation, each potential relationship is far more powerful when it does not revolve around qualifying that person as a sale or no sale. Instead consider networking to be a chance to grow your community and not be attached to the outcome.

The World Wide Web is a networked community, a database of what we need and where to get it. We choose who will be in that database each time we add a contact, share a story, like a page or share a tweet.

Listening to how we interconnect is the beginning of the germination process, not only for creating lasting relationships, but also for how we iterate our business offerings.

Instead of blowing into the wind, consider planting individual seeds by making each interaction, each engagement, each relationship count — even if, and especially when — there is no sale to be had.

Tend your garden, care for your list.

Every time we log on, we are contributing to a boundless system of interconnectedness.

Mindful choices make building your business network authentic. Each week set aside 30 minutes to add, modify and tract engagement touch points.

Know your data — know your clients. It’s like adding compost to your garden.