Shhhhhhh

I was about 20 when my grandmother reached for my hand across the table and said, “Grace, you have a lot to say, and that’s wonderful. But honey? So do other people.”

Mic drop.

I was momentarily stunned into silence, but her words rang true. I DID have so much to say! I still do! (Why else have this blog?)

My grandmother was a wise woman and—though she had an awful lot to say herself—she knew: It’s not a real conversation if you’re not making space for the other person.

She made me a better friend and she also helped shape the kind of storyteller I would be.

Every good kind of marketing has a listening component, and it’s most obvious with community engagement and social media. Done right, social media opens a conversation. It takes the time to ask, “How are you? What’s new?” and more importantly—it sticks around and listens to the answer.

Empty words thrown over a shoulder mean nothing—real engagement takes a beat, looks you in the eye, and listens.

Think about it. When you’re truly listened to, when you’re really heard, you can relax. There’s a trust that builds between you and the listener, because you see that your thoughts and ideas hold value and are welcome here. That person becomes someone you look forward to seeing again.

I’ll be honest. When I see a brand (or even a person) post something on social media, and then ignore all the comments, I cringe.

Imagine doing that in real life.

Can you imagine saying something that matters to you, then walking away as people try to respond? You wouldn’t do that. It’s bonkers.

And here’s the thing… the thing I realized when I finally shut up and started listing: Other people really do have good things to say. Observations and ideas that may surprise you, move you, and deepen your own understanding of the world. And if you’re marketing, it is vital to understand the market, what it thinks and needs, where it hurts, how it feels about what you’re saying.

Yes, it takes time to read responses, and to show that you heard them. Yes, time is a valuable resource. Yes, listening takes effort.

That’s part of why I don’t advise people to use ALL the social media platforms, or to talk to ALL the people. Be selective, find your people, listen to them, and use your voice for conversation, not soliloquy.