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Trust Agents: There Are No Shortcuts to Real Relationships

by Greg Cangialosi on September 8, 2009

This post is about relationships, and specifically how important they are within the fiber of the social web. While much of the business world continues to figure out how “social media” plays into their organization’s marketing communications strategy, I’d like to take this opportunity to remind everyone about one of the simple truths about  social media and social marketing, and that is that:

Community + Relationships + Engagement = “Social Media Integration”

This is the culmination of social media in its purest form. All of the tools in the world, are just that, they are tools. As I mentioned during my talk at Social Fresh, social media is not about twitter, or LinkedIn or facebook, or whatever tool you are using to connect with your base. Its about real people, & real relationships.

I am both honored and humbled to be highlighted in Chris Brogan and Julien Smith’s new book “Trust Agents.” (Which by the way if you haven’t heard is officially on the New York Time’s Bestseller list. Congrats guys!). One of the themes that I am highlighted within is the notion of “being there before the sale.” Chris came up with this slogan a long time ago, and it couldn’t be any more right on.

So, in the end what does “being there before the sale” mean? It means building true, genuine, relationships, the kind that are built over time, not over night, and never having the sale in mind. It means being human, building relations, and discovering and understanding that leads /sales / business development, are simply a by-product of participation within your community.

When you think about it, a referral from your network is one of the greatest compliments you can ever receive in business. However, in order to receive that referral one must feel as if they can trust you, your company and your brand. That is done by what Chris and Julien refer to as “building army’s.” You can call them army’s of influence and trust. Building a GENUINE army of advocates & evangelists for your product, service or brand, is something that there is no shortcut for.  This process takes time, effort, and lots of resources. Remember, the tools are only that, they are tools….

At the end of the day this is a PEOPLE thing.  Not a social media thing.

To me, one of the key factors in manifesting the true gem of social media is incorporating the simple concept of face to face. This is where the game changes, when you bridge the digital world into the physical world. Its been said many times before, by those of us who have experienced this. The tools have simply allowed us to connect, generate dialog and engagement with our base, in more ways than ever before, but still  in the end nothing digital can replace or duplicate true face to face interaction.

Real World = Real Relationships

The importance of meeting people face to face is what “social media” and “social marketing” continue to reinforce to me, and its one of the messages that I try to tell marketers every chance I get. It’s also why you see my company, Blue Sky Factory at events all over the country, sponsoring, speaking, exhibiting, etc.. sure we are there for the branding and promotion, etc but more importantly we want to connect with YOU. It’s about the hallway and booth conversations, sharing a coffee or a beer, maybe even a meal, and being able to talk about non-business related topics… and just being human. The importance of face to face is just another an old truth being reinforced through new mediums…..pretty interesting when you think about it.

The takeaway here is that though I do believe companies should utilize the social web to build community, establish relationships and engage with them, more importantly they should continue to invest in any activities that get them face to face with their base. I think everyone reading this post will agree that there is a distinct difference between the pure online / digital relationships that we have and the ones where we have met face to face. The difference being that the relationships we have with people we have actually met in person, and spent some time with tend to be stronger all around. Companies need to build their armies around these types of relationships, and as I mention in the title of this post, there are no shortcuts. Get out there and meet and build your community, face to face.

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. Thanks for reading.

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Social Fresh Cruise - all about the Face to Face | Social Fresh Cruise
September 21, 2009 at 4:12 pm

{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }

Sam Diener September 9, 2009 at 4:34 pm

Greg. Great post. This is where I am going with my blog… "Real world is the New Social Media." Keep up the great work!

Sam Diener

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Maddy Hubbard September 9, 2009 at 4:41 pm

Greg,

I couldn't agree with you more. It's about making connections and doing what's right, not doing what will garner you the sale for the sake of the sale. The foundation needs to be laid first and the foundation needs to be genuine.

Social tools are important but shouldn't be used as a replacement for being face to face.

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Greg Cangialosi September 9, 2009 at 4:49 pm

@Sam – sounds great! I look forward to reading your new blog!

@Maddy – thanks for reading. You know it! Tools are just that, they are tools! Its all about PEOPLE :-)

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Jen Gunner September 9, 2009 at 9:14 pm

Nice work Greg – you and your team do a great job of this…thanks for sharing and for continuing the good work!

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Greg Cangialosi September 12, 2009 at 1:48 pm

@jen – thank you for the kind words!

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steve p September 9, 2009 at 10:35 pm

I like it! back to basics! its got me in the mood to start fresh nuturing relationships. its work, but isnt anything thats worthwhile?

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Kate McPhail September 10, 2009 at 7:25 pm

Nicely said, Greg! Your outlook and viewpoint is always refreshing! Great post, keep up the good work!

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Tim Baran September 11, 2009 at 1:57 pm

Wow, couldn't have said it better. The following especially resonates:

"being human, building relations, and discovering and understanding that leads /sales / business development, are simply a by-product of participation within your community."

This takes consistency and patience, a combination of traits that is not as common as one would imagine :)

More than anything, your post is encouraging and affirming. Thank you!

@uMCLE

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Tony Hollingsworth September 11, 2009 at 10:04 am

Greg
Great post – this aligns with what I have been thinking about for some time. I loved the final paragraph:

“…..the takeaway here is that though I do believe companies should utilize the social web to build community, establish relationships and engage with them, more importantly they should continue to invest in any activities that get them face to face with their base….”

A great example of this happened today when http://twitter.com/brasseriebread put on a “tweetup” in the park – inviting their community/customers to join them for a picnic. You can follow the action at #bbtu – http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23bbtu

Cheers
Tony Hollingsworth

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Greg Cangialosi September 12, 2009 at 1:50 pm

@steve – you know it! anything worth while, especially relationships takes time and effort!

@kate – thanks for the kind words

@tony – glad the message resonates with your thinking as well. Great example with the #bbtu event Thanks for reading!

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David September 11, 2009 at 10:45 am

Great post! I did my MBA in 1993-95, just as the internet was emerging as a “tool” for communicating, branding, selling. Everyone seemed to be drinking the kool-aid of people never having to leave their house again to buy anything. I remember thinking that although there was great excitement around this idea, it just didn’t make sense to me. People by definition are gregarious. We thrive on actual human interaction, not just texting, emailing and twittering. And even though facebook allows us to share our thoughts, opinions and pictures of our kids, it can never replace the human senses of touch, smell and taste. Those are the difference makers that give great marketers and salespeople an opportunity to distinguish themselves from each other and bring their companies and products to the front of customers’ minds and budgets. Thanks for sharing this.

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Greg Cangialosi September 12, 2009 at 1:53 pm

Right on David! you said it!

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Serena Moyle September 11, 2009 at 10:58 am

Put very plainly- thanks for that. Plan to share it with administration at the small catholic high school my kids attend whose marketing dept. in non-existent…and looking to social media to help us increase enrollment. We’ve got to get ‘face to face’ with our base…would that be the parents or the kids? hmm.

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Greg Cangialosi September 12, 2009 at 1:52 pm

Serena –

Thanks for reading. That's great you are going to share this with the administration at the school! let me know if you have any questions or if I can help. Sounds like the base could be a little bit of both :-)

G

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Deanna McNeil September 11, 2009 at 11:49 am

http://gapingvoid.com/2007/01/09/love-reaches-into-far-deeper-places-than-trust-ever-could/

I wholeheartedly agree that Trust us important but this statement from Hugh really resonates with me: “Love reaches into far deeper places than Trust ever could”

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Diane September 11, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Greg Cangialosi September 12, 2009 at 1:54 pm

@Deanna that is a true statement :-) Hugh rocks.

@Diane – I am glad you were turned on to my blog via Chris, thanks for stopping by and thanks for reading!

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Armando Bellmas September 11, 2009 at 1:02 pm

When I first started out as a photographer a close friend and mentor told me the secret to his success: he builds relationships with people who just happen to be his clients and prospects.

This has been the foundation for my business from day one. If you’re going to spend a whole day or, sometimes, several days on a photo shoot with someone you’d better like each other going in. This is where building relationships is key. They know you, you know them.

The social web and its tools have offered me and my business a game-changing alternative to the way photographers have always marketed themselves.

Earlier this year I used Twitter and Facebook primarily in my “Spring Book Tour.” I picked cities throughout the South, found creatives and decision makers in those towns via Twitter, reached out to my existing network on those platforms for referrals, and visited each person in each city — face to face — to say hello and show my work.

It’s all about your real relationships. You couldn’t have said it any better, Greg.

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Brendon David September 11, 2009 at 5:15 pm

Great, to-the-point post. Thanks for writing. I couldn't agree more with your overarching point of: leveraging social and community platforms in a vacuum simply is not scalable if a brand wants to truly connect with their base and create long lasting relationships.

Thanks for posting.

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Greg Cangialosi September 12, 2009 at 2:00 pm

@armondo – I hope you continue to ROCK your business! Keep building those relationships! It was great to see you in Charlotte working it and thanks so much for reading the blog! http://www.bellmas.com – good stuff!!

@brendon – thanks for reading! I try to get to the point as quickly as I can :-) sometimes it takes me a few more words than needed, but I think ultimately I get there. In this case, its very straightforward! Thanks again.

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Greg Cangialosi September 12, 2009 at 2:00 pm

@armondo – I hope you continue to ROCK your business! Keep building those relationships! It was great to see you in Charlotte working it and thanks so much for reading the blog! http://www.bellmas.com – good stuff!!

@brendon – thanks for reading! I try to get to the point as quickly as I can :-) sometimes it takes me a few more words than needed, but I think ultimately I get there. In this case, its very straightforward! Thanks again.

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Greg Cangialosi September 12, 2009 at 2:00 pm

@armondo – I hope you continue to ROCK your business! Keep building those relationships! It was great to see you in Charlotte working it and thanks so much for reading the blog! http://www.bellmas.com – good stuff!!

@brendon – thanks for reading! I try to get to the point as quickly as I can :-) sometimes it takes me a few more words than needed, but I think ultimately I get there. In this case, its very straightforward! Thanks again.

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Greg Cangialosi September 12, 2009 at 2:00 pm

@armando – I hope you continue to ROCK your business! Keep building those relationships! It was great to see you in Charlotte working it and thanks so much for reading the blog! http://www.bellmas.com – good stuff!!

@brendon – thanks for reading! I try to get to the point as quickly as I can :-) sometimes it takes me a few more words than needed, but I think ultimately I get there. In this case, its very straightforward! Thanks again.

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Greg Cangialosi September 12, 2009 at 2:00 pm

@armando – I hope you continue to ROCK your business! Keep building those relationships! It was great to see you in Charlotte working it and thanks so much for reading the blog! http://www.bellmas.com – good stuff!!

@brendon – thanks for reading! I try to get to the point as quickly as I can :-) sometimes it takes me a few more words than needed, but I think ultimately I get there. In this case, its very straightforward! Thanks again.

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Greg Cangialosi September 12, 2009 at 2:00 pm

@armando – I hope you continue to ROCK your business! Keep building those relationships! It was great to see you in Charlotte working it and thanks so much for reading the blog! http://www.bellmas.com – good stuff!!

@brendon – thanks for reading! I try to get to the point as quickly as I can :-) sometimes it takes me a few more words than needed, but I think ultimately I get there. In this case, its very straightforward! Thanks again.

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Jim Baran September 12, 2009 at 2:03 pm

Great post Greg. We don't know each other but after reading your piece, makes me want to know you. Hopefully, that was the point.

I'm often embarrassed to say that I work in the executive recruitment industry. This has to be the worst case scenario of "let me use you, slam, bam, pick-up check". Too often its bam, bam, slam, pick-up check.

Our biz is introducing a private community in our niche later this month. It's one of 5 moving parts to our new business model. Your comments here are excellent foundational engagement points for us going forward. Thanks!

Jim Baran
Value Stream Leadership
Twitter: LEANVSL

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djwaldow September 12, 2009 at 2:21 pm

Greg –

You already know this, but one of the main reasons I decided to make the move to Blue Sky Factory was because of this – Trust. Relationships. Face to Face. Your leadership, presence and engagement in "the community" is critical to continued personal and professional success at Blue Sky Factory.

Looking forward to learning from you and the community, while helping to grow BSF.

Let's do this. Rock on…

DJ Waldow
Director of Community, Blue Sky Factory
@djwaldow

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Rich Tucker September 21, 2009 at 8:19 pm

Greg,

A little late to the comment Party! Your post is awesome and gets to the heart of the purpose of Social Fresh Cruise. So I wrote a blog post referencing your thoughts on Real Relationships. Look forward to hanging out on 11.12.09 in the Caribbean! http://socialfresh.com/cruise

richtucker
@richtucker

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Nichole Kelly November 11, 2009 at 2:06 pm

Always great stuff Greg! I just wrote about a similar topic inspired by your coverage in Trust agents. I agree 100% and continually work to get the real world to transcend the digital world, not the other way around. We are all human beings living on this planet with one life to live. Who wants to live it constantly feeling the pressure of sell…sell…sell…No way! Building relationships is paramount to the success of any business. Social media just gives you a wider net.

Ciao!

Nichole
@InnovateMarCom

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