Are you customers recommending you?

Maybe it’s because you aren’t really paying attention to these things.

People

I’m a person, not a “lead”

Hi  

Or maybe it’s more like this.

I’m Joe. I need help

I’m Bob. I can help you!

We are really good at this in the real world. We get it. Handshakes, eye contact, stories. Trust.

Tweet, tweet, boop

Beep boop bop bleep

But how do we do all that in the digital world? You can’t shake hands through the computer screen…or can you?

Relationships

Hi…again

Welcome to the ‘Age of Influence,’ where anyone can build an audience and effect change, advocate brands, build relationships and make a difference. Kirby and Jason have written a practical guide to help us do just that. —Ted Rubin, Social Marketing Strategist, Keynote Speaker, Author of Return on Relationship

The past several years of digital innovation have utterly transformed the human race's ability to communicate and, more importantly, have transformed our ability to form relationships with each other and organizations of all types all the time.

“ “

(From the introduction)

We’ve identified 9 characteristics of relationships whether they are formed in person or via digital channels

It all starts with a need. But because we are human (and we like to connect with other people), our needs are generally for more than just a product.

History

When we’ve interacted before (maybe it’s face-to-face, maybe it’s through a piece of content), we have a history together. Lots of history = deeper relationship (maybe positive, maybe negative…)

Curation

People form relationships because of mutual benefit. I know things you don’t. You know things I don’t. For businesses, that’s products. I have a huge selection of guitars so you don’t have to go out and find them separately.

Faces

Faces help us judge people, to react to what’s said. We even have a part of our brain dedicated to this called the Fusiform “Face Area.” We key in on faces.

Stories

Like faces, we are wired for stories. When someone tells us a story, we connect emotionally, we see ourselves in their shoes.

Authenticity

Based on facial reactions and other cues, our relationships are predicated on authenticity. We hate fakes…and fakers.

Consistency

And there’s nothing worse than a relationship you can’t count on. If the experience is different each time, it’s harder to keep the relationship.

“It’s like having a friend and starting over every time you meet,” says Robert Scoble. “Imagine going to dinner at a friend ’s house and the next day them not remembering anything about you or the night before!”

(From the introduction)

Credibility

Can there be a relationship without any trust? That’s credibility.

ful

Finally, relationships are about being helpful. If one person is always about themselves, the relationship is bound to disintegrate.

The difference between helping and selling is just two letters. But those two letters produce vastly better relationships. This book will show you how to build your business by being undeniably useful. Highly recommended. —Jay Baer, New York Times best-selling author of Youtility

Hi friend! Hi friend! When you master those 9 characteristics, you can have a lot of relationships.

Only digital creates a problem of scale

Hi  

Everyone seems to want a relationship. Hi  

Hi  

Hi  

Hi  Hi  

Hi  

Hi  

Hi  

Hi  

At the same time.

How do you know with whom to spend your time (and marketing budget)?

By measuring the value of the individuals in your relationship network

RW NRV74 6 status updates

12 likes 18 shares 6 keyword mentions positive

11 status updates 42 likes 31 shares 111 keyword mentions positive

412 retweets 137 status updates 4 direct messages 118 keyword mentions positive

3 downloads 12 touches

4 reviews 6 keyword mentions

positive

4 comments 18 shares

14 keyword mentions positive

Relawatts

RW NRV59

RW NRV17

RW NRV83

RW NRV64

RW NRV63

RW NRV36

RW NRV44

RW NRV09

RW NRV22

RW NRV76

RW NRV18

RW NRV89

RW NRV90

RW NRV57

}

How does it work?

The Relawatt (RW) score measures the potential value of individuals

Finally, the Network Relationship Value (NRV) measures the whole thing.

RW NRV59

Then you can segment based on score

First, the engine in the clouds pulls in all the data for a person and calculates the score

We’ve uncovered a super secret formula to calculate the Relawatt value.

And written a book about it. (but more on that in a second)

Time to wake up, people. Organizations that want to succeed in tomorrow’s digital world have to be radical. And that’s what Jason and Kirby do through Recommend This!—propose and support a radical idea that business is all about relationships and then they give you the Rosetta Stone to translate it to digital.—Mike Volpe, CMO, Hubspot

Relationships = competitive differentiation

You can’t steal relationships or fake them or copy them. They separate your organization from your competitors.

But only if you are consistently giving your online audience what they want—great experiences.

In the real world we are good at that. But how does it translate to the digital?

The world we live in today has a completely new set of rules thanks to digital technology. Those old methods of building relationships, things like face-to-face communication, and having a personal history with a customer, may not seem to translate to the way we interact and engage in the digital world.

“ “

(From the introduction)

Community: the “general store” of the digital world.

Communities are one vehicle through which we can translate those real-world relationship building characteristics into the digital world. But it’s just a vehicle. You still have to do the translating…

This is all in the book.

I have a story to tell…

My 1,000,000th comment...

I just need some facts…

Anyone need some help?

Ultimately people want to be part of something.

But not everyone wants the same kind of relationship.

The 4 Different Relationship TypesSource: Limelight

You Don’t See Me Acknowledge

?

Attention Hound

!!!

Best Friends Forever

:) ;)

• I want to help myself• Where are the product details and specifica tions?• I don’t want to watch this video

• Okay, so you know I’m here when I need you. Great. Now go away.• Oh, there’s a big con versation? I’ll gladly join but after that, I’m on my merry way.• Ooo! A link. Cool, let me click it...

• Ooo! Pick me, pick me!• Can you tell me about your product? Oh, yeah, and did you know my cat whiskers can catch a ball?• You want me to write a blog post for you? I’m flattered...

• You complete me• Did you just complete my sentence?• I’m going to go log into the “members-only” site and see what cool new stuff you’ve posted.

And what makes a great experience with your organization? Knowing what kind of relationship each person wants…

Did we mention this is all in the book?

Relationship PyramidSource: Limelight

Intimate

Confidante

Friend

Acquaintance

Awareness

When you are offering great experiences, you promote more people “up the pyramid.” More BFFs.

More of your audience is up here because you are giving them what they want, when they want it.

But we can’t give it all away. (that’s right, we wrote a book about it)

Who are we?

Jason Thibeault Sr. Dir of Marketing Strategy, Limelight Networks @_jasonthibeault

Kirby Wadsworth, Chief Marketing Officer, Limelight Networks @_acesage

That’s why we wrote this book. To help you understand the value of relationships (including the formula), how to translate those 9 characteristics to the digital world, and how to make the most out of all your digital engagement. Order it today! http://bit.ly/1eRk7GC