How to amplify your message via networks

When you’re trying to get your message out, it can sometimes seem like you’re yelling into the void. With the internet and the decline of mass media, it can be hard to get the right messages to the right people. 

One sure fire way is to leverage your customers, clients, partners, resellers, media, anyone who you can amplify your message for you.

Get word of mouth – just ask for it

The quickest way is to leverage your existing network of happy clients and suppliers. They are already doing business with you and can personally attest to the service and value that you provide. But how to get that referral or review? The best time to ask for a referral or review is when you get unsolicited praise. If a client or supplier emails thanking you for a job well done, strike while the iron is hot and ask for a LinkedIn recommendation or a review on your platform of choice. Depending on the kind of business you run, you can also ask for reviews or referrals via thank you pages once they have made an online purchase or completed a download.

Generate media coverage

As the traditional media shrinks, and aggregation and syndication of news grows, getting the media’s attention has never been more challenging. To get the attention of time-poor journalists you must be truly remarkable, meaning you have to be truly different to get the media to pay attention. But unless it gets posted online it’s not much worth, and if it’s behind a paywall it makes sharing any resulting media coverage across your online and social networks difficult.

Become the media

Publish your own stuff. You can build your own niche media empire and ‘own the eyeballs’. Start a blog. Create remarkable content and educate others about how you do remarkable things. Tell your customer’s how you solved their problems for them. Package your smarts into gifts that others can share - an article, a podcast, a video, be a thought leader. People will amplify your message if they think you’ve added value, and talk to about others about what you do. Building a ‘fan base’ is like getting media coverage – be smart, funny or cool.

Get them off social media

Here’s something you should always ask yourself about your social media efforts: is it making me money or saving me money? If you can’t answer yes to either of these then why are you on social media? If you are on social media the trick is to redirect them from social media to your website. Get them off social media and into your online shop, your diary, or on to a database. Send them to a landing page to convert them, and that starts with getting an email address. People will part with an email address if you give them something useful – a how-to eBook or a white paper is a great incentive. Once you have an email address you can follow up with a series of emails. Better yet, get a phone number and give them a call!

Form strategic alliances

Find an organisation that focuses on a similar target audience to you, and have them dispatch a message on your behalf. Give them something to share – a white paper, cheat sheet that they can share with their audiences. It’s likely that, like you, they don’t have enough good material to send to their own markets. Be sure that the alliance is mutually beneficial as you’ll need to return the favour.

Need help in leveraging your network to amplify your message? Call Elevate Communication on 07 3180 3666.