Building an Engaged Audience: The Power of Value-Based Marketing ~via @CoachRichPerry
Follow Rich Perry, his content on so many topics is on point, I assure you that you will not be disappointed. /Ted
In the age of social media and the abundant flow of content, grabbing attention has become a challenging task. Traditional marketing methods that focus solely on promoting products or services are no longer enough. To truly stand out and create lasting relationships with your audience, you need to deliver genuine value and connect with them on a deeper and more meaningful level.
Value-based marketing revolves around understanding your audience's needs, desires, and pain points. It's about empathizing with them and finding ways to provide solutions, insights, or inspiration that resonate with their lives. When you shift your focus from selling to serving, magic happens.
By consistently delivering valuable content, you position yourself as an authority in your niche. You build trust and credibility among your audience, establishing your brand as a go-to resource. The valuable content we’re talking about here can come in many forms. This could be educational blog posts, informative videos, or thought-provoking podcasts. The important thing is that you try to enrich the lives of your audience with every piece of content you create and share. As noted in the paragraph above, shift your focus from selling to serving.
But remember, building an engaged audience is not a one-way street. It's about fostering a community where conversations thrive. Encourage your followers to share their thoughts, ask questions, and engage with your content. Take the time to respond to people when they leave a comment, be genuinely interested, and build relationships that go beyond (monetary) transactions.
There are plenty of tangible benefits associated with value-based marketing. The first benefit is that it helps you attract a loyal audience who truly loves and appreciates what you offer. Other benefits include increased customer retention, word-of-mouth recommendations, and even attracting brand ambassadors who will share your message for you! When your audience feels a real connection to your brand, they can become your biggest advocates.
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Now we’ll switch it up and hear from two top experts on the matter!
I recently posed the question, “How did you build your audience?” to my community across social media channels and received some amazing responses.
The first response comes from marketing strategist, speaker, and author Ted Rubin. Ted is the author of multiple books including Return on Relationship and Retail Relevancy: How Brands and Retailers Will Connect in a Post-Physical World.
Here is Ted’s response:
I can’t help thinking that sometimes, we get so caught up in trying to live up to other people’s expectations that it’s easy to lose sight of what makes us unique as individuals. Whether online or out in the world, we live in an era when those expectations are always on display, and our mistakes, mishaps, and embarrassing moments are more public than ever.
One option is to give in to those expectations, hide your true feelings, toe the line, and filter your actions based on what you think other people want to see. You won’t be surprised to learn that I advocate for a slightly different position.
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because, in the end, those who matter don’t mind, and those who mind don’t matter.” ~Dr. Seuss
If you want to see the full spectrum, from too real to totally artificial, just visit your favorite social platform. You’ll find some influencers who aim to build a following solely by doing what’s expected, playing on audience expectations, and never revealing a thing about who they really are. They may say something controversial, as long as they believe that’s what their audience wants to hear.
These people may succeed initially in building a following, but it’s a fickle thing. One wrong step – or break from character – and that same audience will move onto someone else who tells them what they want to hear.
Then you have the people who always speak their mind, no matter what, even when saying nothing would be the much wiser path. TMI is real, and it’s not hard to find someone who wants to tell you about their bodily functions, or discuss their position on every controversial political and social issue of the day. It’s great to feel comfortable being open, but you don’t necessarily need to share every single gory detail.
The true influencers – those who last, build connections, and foster relationships – know how to be authentic, honest, and real, without going over the top. They might touch on a controversial subject, but they’ll do it thoughtfully, rather than offering a rapid-fire opinion on every trending topic. They’ll let you in on meaningful details of their personal lives without sharing so much that you feel like you’re at someone else’s family reunion. They’re not perfect, but they embrace that fact and accept that they can’t please everyone.
Most importantly, they’re comfortable in their own skin – which is important both online and out in the world. I gravitate toward people who are authentic and confident in who they are, and I try to be the same way when dealing with other people. I may not always say exactly what you want to hear, but what I do say is coming from an honest place. My opinions are just mine, and I try to provide enough background that you’ll understand where I’m coming from, even if you don’t ultimately agree.
On a marketing, social, and influence level, you’ll often go much farther being authentic than you will by only saying and doing the expected. But this isn’t just about building a following. Being who you are, connecting with the people who matter, and refusing to be dragged down by the negative, ultimately makes for a happier life with more freedom. Just be “you,” and the rest will come along.
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Our second expert response comes from YouTube consultant & strategist Shelly Nathan. Shelly (aka Shelly Saves the Day) is an expert on all things related to YouTube, content creation, and podcasting.
Here's what Shelly had to say about building an audience:
Instead of focusing on the "next" milestone, cultivate relationships with the people that you have already in your community. Why are you worried about your next 500 when you aren't taking care of the 500 you currently have?
Do you have raving fans? Do you know anything about how they view your content, or what they are hoping to achieve? Do you know the last video or post THEY made, did you comment on it or have insights to share with them?
Meaningful connections cultivate meaningful and engaged communities. Creating content doesn't mean you're having real conversations yet with your viewers. Building an audience to grow numbers for no other reason besides a milestone will never be as valuable as building a community that grows with you.
Live stream and have conversations, comment on their posts/content, and remember when they are striving for an achievement. Try to answer their questions without needing anything in return from them.
People will always surprise you given time, whether that is for good or for bad is based on how you treat them.
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Thank you, Ted Rubin and Shelly Nathan, for sharing your expert insights here. Both offered incredible value and expertise on what it takes to build long-lasting and thriving relationships online and in real life.
I’ve certainly learned a lot from you both in the time that we’ve known each other. Thank you. I appreciate you.
Follow Ted Rubin for marketing strategies and get his books Return on Relationship and Retail Relevancy: How Brands and Retailers Will Connect in a Post-Physical World.
Follow Shelly Nathan for YouTube strategies and content creation tips. Contact Shelly to have vertical videos created from your existing content library.
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