When we talk more, we believe more people will listen, but the opposite is the truth. Everybody wants to be heard and if you just talk and don’t listen, you miss opportunities in your daily life – and in Social Media.

Check out many Twitter messages and LinkedIn forum posts: “My company does this” and “I can do this for you”. Do you think this approach works?

The most important question for anybody is consciously or subconsciously: What is in it for ME?

Always remember this when you want to talk to your target market – or even to your loved ones. Everybody wants to be heard and the best you can do for your people is to listen first, not talk first. Listen to their problems and questions. Then you can come in and help them. Give advice, give genuine opinions without asking yourself what’s in it for you. Your clients and target market (and loved ones) will thank you for it.

How will they thank you for it? By following you, trusting you, liking you and eventually buying from you.

That’s what Social Media Marketing is all about. Look out for opportunities to help the people on your forums of choice and don’t spam them with your company messages. This is how you gain their trust and how you become known as an expert in your field.

Start with it today! Social Media is called Social Marketing, but it is more so Social Communication. Bonding, trusting, sharing, acknowledging, listening, discussing, building groups, making friends, helping are the most important marketing methods in the Social Media realm of Web 2.0.