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the difference it makes

By JNSwanson

People wonder about developing an online presence. People question the value of using twitter. People debate whether twitter should be used for marketing or PR or anything significant.

One such conversation was happening at a conference on blogging one Saturday morning recently, with marketing professionals passionately making claims.

During the conversation, I leaned over to the two guys sitting next to me. “Can I do ___ with my Network Solutions domain?” (it doesn’t matter what I was wanting to do. I don’t want to lose you in the technicalities).

Both of them said, “yes.” One of them said “I’ve done that myself.”

I met one of these guys through twitter. You’ve seen him here, writing about a small business in Chicago.

Shashi and JonHere’s the point: Shashi is on twitter as part of his job with Network Solutions. When I was looking for a new place for a domain I wanted, I wanted to go to a place I could trust. Because I knew Becky knew Shashi and I had seen him online, I decided to talk to him.

In the same way that we do business offline with people we know, I love to do business online with people I know. Shashi isn’t selling, he’s conversing. And so I talked to him about buying from his company, in the same way that I choose hardware stores based on good service and the way I look for car dealer recommendations from friends.

You don’t have to sell to bring benefits to your company from being online.

Just be helpful.

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About JNSwanson

Jon has been a regular reader and occasional contributor around here since 2006. Jon works as a pastor, but he understands business better than many so-called business people. He gets that it is about people, relationships, service, and yes, even love.
  • When the planes are coming in to land - July 18, 2016
  • Are you mortgaging your time? - April 24, 2013
  • A customer service story - September 12, 2012
  • What to do when a blog post is suddenly popular - May 2, 2012
  • Review: The official guide to QuickBooks 2012 - January 23, 2012
  • Two discussion questions for you - December 8, 2011
  • From scrap metal to skilled crafts - November 23, 2011
  • How a small business can be huge - November 16, 2011
  • Banding together - October 12, 2011
  • Show the love - October 1, 2011

May 4, 2009 Filed Under: social media Tagged With: Jon Swanson

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Comments

  1. Shashib says

    May 4, 2009 at 4:31 pm

    Hi Jon,

    Thank you very much for this post. I think you nailed the crux if building relationships is conversations. Small Businesses are usually very savvy with that. Was great to meet you at sobevent.com

    thanks,

    Shashi

  2. Wizaard says

    May 4, 2009 at 9:32 pm

    Hey Jon,

    This is the very essence of what four lads brought to the world in the late 90’s — in the form of the Cluetrain Manifesto. It doesn’t get any better than this. And because I am reading this here, Shashi’s help not only raises his own credibility factor, but also Network Solution’s.

  3. Dave Rothacker says

    May 4, 2009 at 9:34 pm

    Jon – I got messed up on the sign in. Wizaard is an ancient online moniker of mine. Sorry.

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