Build a Genuine Relationship with Professional Tradesmen

My blog focuses on helping manufacturers better communicate with contractors and professional tradesmen. We have three challenges: 1) identify our audience, 2) give them meaningful content, and 3) keep them coming back. One of the most important things I try to communicate is that to be successful, you must be able to engage and have a genuine relationship with your reader. I recently read a guest post on Problogger from Leo Babauta of Zen Habits on 7 steps to build a genuine relationship with your readers, which highlights ways he’s been able to engage and develop relationships.

Here are some highlights from his post:

  • A genuine relationship starts with you – start with an open and positive mindset and be willing to work on the relationship.
  • Make posts as helpful and useful as you can – it’s not about you, it’s about your readers’ problems and concerns.
  • Be helpful and positive in all interactions – whether it’s on Twitter, Facebook or your blog…always be helpful, positive and upbeat.
  • Encourage discussion in comments – you’re not the only one with good ideas. Make sure to engage on your response and ask their opinion.
  • Give back on other blogs – link when appropriate to other blogs, visit their sites and make comments and write guest posts for them.

One of the most important points Leo makes is you can’t fake this stuff. If you are just pretending to care about your readers, if you don’t really want to talk to them, they’ll feel it and then you’ve lost them.

Leo is a best selling author of The Power of Less. He also just released a free report for bloggers called, How I Got 100,000 Subscribers in Two Years: Lessons from Zen Habits. Check out his report as it gives some insightful ways to help get and retain viewers

Share

Share this: