Top 3 Tips to Increase Engagement

Summer has been hot. I’m talking 118 degrees here in the Mojave desert. And don’t tell me “but it’s a dry heat there”, like it makes a difference…Lord, do I know. How hot does it get where you live? 

See that? That is a text you can send to your customers. An engaging text! Why? Because it’s short, has quality, and asks a question. Engaging texts build a relationship with your customers and turn them into a member of your community. Let’s chat about my top 3 tips to build engagement!

Short, Quick, and To the Point

Tip 1: Your goal is to be short, quick and to the point. This is not a newsletter or a lengthy email. You’ll want something that grabs their attention in the first sentence. This is not verbal vomit. Ugh, everytime I use that example I shudder a little bit. Eeeeyuck. Our example above is 4 sentences long and written in a very conversational tone. I could have easily made it shorter, but it wouldn’t sound like me. And we want it to sound just like you!

Quality or Quantity

Tip 2: Let’s pick the quality of the message over the quantity of sentences you can provide. Remember, again, this is not an email and you are not *shudder* verbally throwing up on everyone. So pick something that you’re passionate about. Pick just one thing from the 5 things that make up your life. Mine are family, reading, a fluffy saint bernard, humor, and HAES. You know a ton about your top 5 things, so pick a quality story or tip and draft it out. For example: “Nothing brings a family closer together than chasing a 150lb Saint Bernard around the yard, trying to give him a bath. *insert picture of my entire family soaked*, what did you do this weekend?”. Side note, not every text should be about your business. You’re a whole person, and your business is only one part of you.

How are you…really?

Tip 3: Ask a non rhetorical question. A question you actually want an answer to. And, no, “how are you” doesn’t count. You want someone to feel like you actually want a response.  If you ask “how are you” at the beginning of the sentence, does that even get a response?  Or do you just get a  “fine”, “good”, “great”.  I challenge you to send out a message like “Hi, Dawn, it’s been crazy this summer. How are you…and I mean really….how are you doing?”  See what reaction you get. Also, check out Jenna Kutcher’s “How Are You Really” Book. I got the idea from it.