Make a Tribe of Delighted People

One of the most critical skills a marketer must have is creating a tribe that knows, likes and trust them. Being able to rally people who have a common need, common goal, or shared interest builds a network of people who want to buy.

As your business grows, you have the opportunity and the duty to engage and deliver. Not only your goods and services but access to you as the leader and producer of the goods and services you provide.

Building a Tribe of People Who Know, Like, and Trust You

In most cases, people buy from people they know and trust. Much of sales are referrals and personal connections. People like to do business with the people they like. Unless your agency is so big, it doesn’t rely on advertising or marketing. It would be best if you made items feel personal to outshine the marketplace.

Here are the critical aspects of building a tribe that knows, likes, and trusts you:

• Be valuable
• Be credible
• Be generous
• Be accessible
• Be genuine
• Be Consistent

Be valuable- Customers are looking for value. Capturing attention is more challenging than ever in this immediate gratification culture. Being helpful and offering something that truly makes an impact or a difference builds your reputation.

Be credible- What you say matters. What you say needs to be credible. It should set you up as a leader and an expert and instill confidence in the tribe you are creating. Be sure you are using credible sources and marketing the most credible information you can.

Be generous- People are in business to make a difference and to make money. While no one expects everything to be free, there is a benefit to offering freemium opportunities when building a tribe. Be generous where you can and offer no-cost and low-cost goods and services so people can sample and get to know you better.

Be accessible- The quickest way to lose someone’s interest is to be invisible. People buy from people they like. The more they like you, the more familiar they want to be. Within limits, be accessible so people can connect.

Be genuine- Giving value, being credible, and allowing access won’t mean a thing if you aren’t genuine. People can quickly tell if there is a disconnect between what you say and how you act in person. Make sure that the way you appear in your marketing material matches the experience you convey one-to-one.

Be consistent- People have short attention spans and short memories. It’s essential to be consistent with your touchpoints, communication, and connection. Failing to be consistent creates space for someone else - who might not be as great as you but connects more often - to come in and claim the sale. Set up a standard for connecting with your tribe and make sure you stay on track and consistent with it.

Building a tribe, also known as list-building, is a crucial concept and skill that all marketers must master to build lasting buying relationships with their customers and clients. Connecting in meaningful ways will help build the know, like, and trust needed to be highly successful.