October 3, 2022 Whether in business, marriage, or parenting, there is one thing that is true no matter what the nature is of the relationship… Trust is key. But building trust in any relationship can be tricky, can’t it?  And if it wasn’t already hard enough with relationships in person, there is an additional challenge that presents itself in online relationships… Nobody, whether on social media, through email, or over Zoom, can truly get to know you as well as those who know you in person. So then how do you build trust in those relationships? Today, we’re going to talk about how to build trust in online relationships and I’m going to give you the answer now… By being you. And now I’m going to show you how to do it. Let’s do this!  Tell me… What do you wake up like?  Isn’t it amazing when we learn we are all not that different? We all wake up with bad breath, hungry, and desperately in need of a shower. But what ends up fascinating us even more is how different we all are in those basic ways. …Do you eat first or brush your teeth first? …Do you use an electric toothbrush? …What’s your favorite food to eat for breakfast? …Do you have a favorite shampoo or do you just use what’s closest in the shower? And these questions only cover the first 30 minutes of your day! Imagine taking your audience “behind the scenes” of your day-to-day life using social media. This would mean you might show them what you look like when you wake up (Maybe) 😉 It also means you can show them your office, share what a normal day looks like, and have fun with it! You can: Show it in your stories on Instagram Do a series of #adayinthelife posts on Facebook Post some fun shorts on YouTube or TikTok (think: show yourself spreading peanut butter on your kids sandwich, opening up your laptop, or walking to lunch) …but wherever you do, let your audience see inside your life. Let them see just how similar you are, and the funny little differences you have too. And as we go back to my original question: How do you build trust in online relationships? By being you. And what better way to do that than to show them your morning hairdo??  Or ya know, something like that 😉  After you’ve spent an entire day sharing everything you do in a given day, your audience may be itching to share some things about themselves. And that’s how relationships work don’t they? Can you imagine if every day I told my wife, Kathy, everything about my day, but not once asked her how hers was? Not only would she be hurt by it, but we would in no way have a close relationship. In order for us to build trust, we must both be able to share about ourselves… and we must both also pay attention when the other is talking! This is why this week’s prompt is: “What does a normal day look like for you?” You can use this in a few different ways too! 1. Post this on Facebook and allow your audience to comment with a rundown of their day. 2. Or make a few targeted posts for them to comment on or leave pictures as comments: – “What did you eat for breakfast?” – “Show me what your office looks like.” – “What is your bedtime routine?” 3. Ask them to share their day in their stories on Instagram or do a series of #adayinthelife posts on Facebook, have them send you their social media tags, and then… 😲 actually go and follow them back and comment on their posts about their day! Can you imagine how important your audience would feel for you to took the time to get to know them? It’s what would bring them one step closer to trusting you, so it’s more than worth it… Plus you may discover a new lunch idea that you’ve never tried!  Why some marketers are changing their focus from inboxes to mailboxes – I know I know… you’ve secretly been thinking I was crazy every time I mentioned sending something to someone’s physical mailbox. However, more and more brands are directing their marketing efforts online. Maybe I’m not so crazy after all! Read More Meet Hollister’s Head of Social Media, Capri Debiccari – From no experience to leading the charge, Capri Debiccari has a thing or two to share about social media, representing a brand, and avoiding burnout. Although some may think “it’s all fun and games, and you just get to play around on the internet all day” turns out it’s a bit more than that. Read More Brands are getting creative with being real – One of the newest apps to hit our phones, BeReal, is a new gold mine of opportunity for businesses. With the app’s no advertising rules, how do businesses use it to their benefit? BeReal, BeCreative, BeDifferent… and you’ll BeNoticed. Read More Let your audience get to know you and make sure to get to know them. I can’t wait to hear how, as a result, trust is built in your online relationships.  Alex Branning Branning Group alex@branninggroup.com  Hey! Want to chat? 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