http://relevance.com/this-social-media-illusion-can-help-you-boost-your-brands-presence/
If you want to expand your brand’s presence and work smart, you might be wise to consider information shared in the link above. It was posted by Lillian Podlog on relevance.com. She describes a study at U. of Southern California which identified and explored the “majority illusion” and how that concept might be used to increase your business. It really is nothing more than finding individuals who are more “importantly connected” (my words).
For example, say you are marketing widgets. You tell your close friend about your American made widgets. Your friend is impressed with your widgets. He tells his 20 friends about those widgets. They are impressed with your products, however, this does nothing to enhance your sales or business profile as none of them are ever likely to purchase your widgets.
What if you provided the same information about your product to someone who is connected with a circle of friends who are associated with an organization called, “Widgets Made In America”.
In the first example your business wasn’t advanced. Your friend may have been an “influencer”, but the people he influenced were not the category of individuals who would ultimately influence those who might be potential customers. Sure, you impressed more people with your wonderful widgets, but it did nothing to grow your business. In the second example, your friend was an “influencer” connected to your ultimate audience. He had the very real potential of connecting you to those who might purchase your product or raise your profile among a special group of people. He expanded your influence among those who might be interested and who might purchase your product.
In the estate planning realm, this might be akin to telling a friend who is pet owner that you do pet trusts. This might result in one new estate planning client. You expanded your business by one transaction. On the other hand, what if you had contacted a pet supply store manager and told her that you do pet trusts. You might tell her it is an area of specialization that you emphasize and a special service you offer for all of your clients. You may have spent the same amount of time communicating the same information to two different people with very different results. The pet supply store manager has a reach well beyond herself and would have the potential to connect to multiple consumers of your service. Take that to the next level and seek out those in that industry who are well connected to other pet store operators and in a position to share your expertise to those individuals and your web of connections expands beyond the retail level to other wholesalers. If your services are designed to give clients planning features that are unique and distinguishable from your competition who also do pet trusts, then you have the potential to gain even greater access to your target market.
This strategy goes hand-in-hand with my earlier post, “Wholesale vs Retail Marketing Efficiency 101” posted last July. However, this blog post’s emphasis is on who you target based upon their ability to influence clients who seek your services even more dramatically. Leverage your efforts to their greatest potential and you will realize greater returns given the amount of effort you expend.
Target your market like a laser and use your time efficiently by targeting those who are most likely to reach those you most want to reach with your message. Think about those individuals who are strategically connected AND have the power and ability to influence those you know are potential clients. Spend more time planning your approach and you can spend even less time getting your message across with even better results.