Taking online engagement into the real world
A frequently asked question by professionals who are relatively new to using digital marketing is “how do I take the online engagement offline into the real world?”
Let’s assume for the exercise that you have made a new connection on LinkedIn for example. Often professionals will make new connections and then wonder what to do with them from there, and perhaps it is helpful to think of it in terms of “online dating”.
If you were connecting with someone online and then immediately threw an email at them urging them to get together and meet soon, it is likely the prospective date would run for the hills, right? Because you are being creepy. On the other hand, if you just perpetually emailed them weekly with inane or irrelevant stuff for months you will find that even though they remember you, and you have certainly created some top of mind awareness, they are likely to be less than enthusiastic about meeting you. Because you are a bore.
So what would you do if you were doing the online dating really?
You’d swap a couple of emails that are relatively low key and not intrusive to try and find if there is rapport, or areas of common interest over a few weeks. Having found areas of common interest you’d probably have an email conversation over a period of a couple of days. After that you’d probably offer to have a phone conversation about the area that interests you both the most. THEN perhaps it will feel right to arrange to get together for a coffee and chat.
How is business any different?
It is still two humans trying to connect and work out whether each is interesting to the other and worth spending time with, and many of the social norms still apply. Don’t be creepy; don’t be a bore….
The online dating world has boomed globally in the last decade and have learned a few things about how people take online relationships offline successfully.
A useful general rule of thumb to apply is that it is appropriate to take the online engagement offline after the other person has sent you 3-4 messages electronically. Naturally there is a requirement to exercise good judgement as it is not a universal principle that applies equally to every human being, and some people take a little more contact whiles some will take less. Where the good judgement is required is in determining the level of engagement and rapport reasonably accurately.
You are looking for “interest” from them. When you have a level of interest that warrants a deeper or more detailed discussion then it is appropriate to take the engagement offline, whether that be on the phone or in a personal meeting.