We live in a digital age, you can build a business online today if you wanted to, you can network and connect with hundreds around the world all through a device. 

It’s pretty cool if you think about it… the opportunities and potential right now to build a business and an online presence are endless. It’s possible for anyone. 

A detrimental part to my growth as an entrepreneur and a huge part of my success as an esthetician has been social media… but not just social media, the community that comes with it. 

It’s one thing to be posting content and it’s another to actually foster real genuine relationships from your content. You could be posting a hundred things on Instagram a day but if you’re not actually engaging, connecting, and building relationships, who’s going to actually take that next step and buy your product or service? 

If you’re an entrepreneur looking to really leverage the online space and connect deeper with your community, then you’ve come to the right place. I want to dive further into this topic and share with you exactly how you can start to connect with your online audience today. I promise you that if you follow and implement these tips, you will notice SUCH an instant shift in your content, your engagement, and your overall business. 

First of all, why is connecting with your community important anyway? Why can’t we just show up, sell, make our money, and call it a day?

Taking the time to interact with your audience does 2 key things. 

1. It makes things personal! I have a serious question for you, would you rather support and purchase from someone who responds back to your comments and questions or would you rather purchase from someone who doesn’t even know you exist? I’m willing to bet you’ll feel more inclined to buy from the person who’s actually spoken to you and showed that they care. It’s all in the personal touch! 
2. You establish TRUST. This is so so crucial. You ever heard that phrase, “Know, like, and trust?”, it's true and for good reason. There are so many products, services, and businesses online but you know what makes the successful ones ACTUALLY successful? It’s trust. They’ve taken the time to build trust with their audience, resulting in sales and long-term customers. 

Hopefully by now you’re convinced by the power of building and connecting with a community, but let’s dive into the actual HOW. How do you start connecting with your community today? 

Here are some action steps to help you get started:

Thank them! 

Hear me out, it sounds simple but trust me it goes a longggg way. The next time you post something on Instagram or post a story, take the time to reply back to the comments and messages that come through. Allow yourself 10-15 minutes to simply reply back to your followers who are taking the time to read whatever it is you had to say! Go through and leave genuine replies back, thank them for the comment, thank them for the support. (This is a win-win anyway because not only are you building a connection with your community but you should be spending time engaging on your account and replying back to comments, this builds up your engagement rate over time!) 

Shout them out from the rooftops.

Hey, we all like a little attention every now and then, okay? Don’t deny it. It feels pretty cool when someone makes you feel seen or heard, especially someone you follow or admire. Just like you’d take the time to reply back to some comments on your posts, take the time to recognize who’s showing love to you continuously. Then, return the favor! Shout them now and really show your appreciation. This can be as simple as a repost and tagging them back or going to their post and leaving some love on their page. 

Giveaways, giveaways, giveaways.

Everybody likes a giveaway. Actually, everybody LOVES a giveaway. So do them as often as you can! Make it a habit at least once every quarter or whenever you achieve a big milestone in business to do a giveaway. This is a really impactful way to thank your community for what you’ve achieved and to give back. This makes your audience feel like their time and energy spent supporting you is worth it, you’re seeing it, and you want to thank them. (TIP: Think of a valuable prize that would solve your audience’s pain points, what are they struggling with and why do they follow you in the first place? This should be your giveaway item! Something exclusive they can’t get anywhere else.) 

BE AUTHENTIC! 

In all that you do, you should always show up as yourself. That’s really the only way to build a loyal community, people see right through any fake facade. By showing up as the truest and most unapologetic version of yourself, you will create raving fans and supporters. Through this authenticity, you can really build meaningful connections! Don’t overthink your posts, just follow your instinct and share whatever is on your heart, that’s how you build an authentic reputation. 

Go spread some love and get love back.

It really comes down to this simple concept - you get what you give. If you don’t give attention and love to your community, why would they return the favor? I hope this post helps and gives you some clear action steps you can take as soon as today to level up your overall engagement and connect deeper with your community! After all, your brand or business is nonexistent without a community. We need supporters in order to continue scaling and growing.

I know I’m forever grateful for the incredible Glow Skincare community we’ve built. It’s you and your support that keeps me going and keeps me inspired. 

Thank you endlessly. 

Until next time,

xoxo

Kasey