Don't Forget Your Neighbors

By staring at the computer all day long, it’s easy to lose track of what is happening next door, or in your town.

Don’t get sucked into your computer. Don’t get too cozy in that little office you built at home. Get out. Meet actual people. Experience a real-life handshake. Leave your comfort zone every once in awhile. You’ll be glad that you did.

Those of us trying to build our social media followings (as we all should) are concentrating on turning online strangers into friends. We’re trying to build relationships. The Internet allows us to do this with someone who would otherwise be too far geographically to talk with. This is an awesome thing.

I have just a simple reminder for people. Don’t build far-reaching relationships at the expense of local relationships. As awesome as social media is, and as effective as a blog can be, face-to-face beats online EVERY time. 

Know the people in your town first. Social media giant Chris Brogan has written a lot about this. In marketing, local will matter more and more.

Your neighbors are the ones who can really help launch your business to a success. Think about it from a practical standpoint for a second. Say you need a plumber to come to your house and do some work. Are you going to call the guy you know and trust from an offline relationship, or the guy who just started following your Twitter account? I think you know.

Most people in most businesses that I know, thrive on local relationships first. They are able to establish the foundation for business within their own community. If you offer goods and services that can easily ship, by all means, cast your wide net. But never forget that your neighbor may have a need for what you do.  

Unless it is drastically preventing you from doing your job, it’s hard to ever say that you are networking too much. This is how you meet the people in your community. This is how you build relationships.

            It’s also a good idea to be a connector. Have “a guy” for everything that needs to be done. Recommend that guy when your friends need services. Everybody is in search of a good garage. If you know one, that recommendation goes a long way. This simple act of connection will not be forgotten.

            So go ahead, and get to that next networking session. Keep the business cards, and take notes on who you meet. You never know when you’ll be in need of someone local, or when they’ll be in need of you. So concentrate your marketing locally.

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