Yesterday I attended a thought provoking Zoom Networking meeting. This was a first for me, normally I attend them in person! Not only did I get to learn about all the great Netflix series on offer, people shared about what they are facing right now in relation to Covid-19 and the impacts it is having on their businesses.
Which of course got me thinking....
Recently I have been looking at the relationships I have with my clients, many of whom have been around since I launched OMG Solutions back in 2014, and pondering how I met these people and what has sustained the relationship for so long. On reflection I can see that marketing has definitely played a part, not only marketing my business but marketing myself too.
Underlying the foundation and speaking my passion
When I first started my business I was pro-active in looking for opportunities within the community where I could share my knowledge, including:
- Newspaper features
- Radio Shows
- Networking
- Keynote speaking
And underneath all of this was a strong online presence. Now, I did have an advantage here because I did not need to outsource my:
- Website
- LinkedIn and Facebook pages
- Google My Business set up
- Email marketing campaigns
What preceded all of the above was the preparation I took to be clear and confident in my personal and business mission, vision and values. This resulted in speaking from my heart about what I was passionate about "all New Zealand business people to be empowered in their use of social media and digital marketing".
What followed on from this was the gold that is word of mouth referrals.
Transitioning from hope marketing
I must admit, even in the early days I relied heavily on hope marketing. You know where you cross your fingers and hope that new business opportunities will come in. There were good weeks and weeks where I doubted my skills and abilities.
What helped transition me from someone who hoped my business would thrive to someone who believed it could?
- Meaningful connections - actually talking to people, getting to know them and really taking an interest in their business
- Being honest - speaking from my heart, and compassionately telling it like it is
- Creating community - sharing my skills and knowledge with those who needed it (and when I stopped hoping) sharing it with people who didn't even know they needed it
- Treating others as I would like to be treated - resulting in like minded clients who are still with me six years later.
The new norm - a driving force for the business success of each other
The Covid-19 pandemic has shown me that we can break down the barriers that seperate us from each other, and we can do this in business too.
I have never believed it is a 'dog eat dog' world, and that for one person to be successful others have to fail. I have found that sharing knowledge, sharing resources, and working together has contributed to my feelings of success. And this is coming to the fore with Covid-19. The number of businesses I have seen creating and sharing free resources for the greater good over the last four weeks is inspiring.
This new norm has the potential to breakthrough the barriers between people and businesses. We can be the driving force for the success of each other.
Everyone has something to offer their neighbour and we are all in this together.
Plus, if you would like to share your business in a feature (free of charge) do get in touch. Read tips on what is working for other business owners during Covid-19, and how you can help your business thrive here.
