On this week’s Dear Katie, I was asked: You say that starting conversations is a key to success on social media. I have no idea what to say though. Do you have any suggestions to make this easier?

And I’m asked this all the time. Seriously.

So, if you asked me this question and don’t know how to start conversations on social media, know that you’re not alone.

You can’t be a networking rockstar if you’re not starting conversations.

But where do you even start? I’m going to show you a few easy ways to start conversations with anyone online.

Conversations create connections. 

If you’re looking to build your firm using social media, follow the list below to break the ice and start making lasting connections.

All of them work, so you can decide which one(s) you want to try today.

1. Industry Lists 

To be honest, I’ve never seen anyone recommend this before, but it’s pure gold. It’s a strategy I’ve been using since the beginning of starting Leaders Online.

Every industry has “top lists” and accolades. Take accounting, there is:

• Top Women in Accounting
• 40 Under 40
• Top 100 ProAdvisors
• INSIDE Public Accounting’s Top 500 CPA Firms
• Etc.

Accountants will recognize the list above, but you’ll have something similar in the niche you’re targeting, too. 

So, what can you do?

Start reaching out to people on these lists. For example, you can say:

Hey name, I saw you made the list for INSERT LIST. Congratulations! What a huge accomplishment. I just wanted to pass along my congratulations. Follow up with a relevant question such as: 

• “What has been the most rewarding part of your journey so far?”
• “How did you get started in the industry?”
• “What advice would you give to someone looking to follow in your footsteps?”
• “Are you attending the celebration event on X date?” 

And once you have your list, you can then go and start working on Google Alerts.

2. Google Alerts

Google Alerts can be an amazing way to start conversations. 

Whenever you set up an alert, you’ll get an email notification whenever the alert you set is mentioned on the web. You can use these notifications as a way to start conversations.

Let’s say that I work with SaaS companies.

I could set up an alert for SaaS companies that landed a Series A round. Each time I receive an alert, I can look up the company’s founder and send them a note to congratulate them and ask a question.

Here’s an example:

Hey [Name], Congratulations on the series A round. That’s so exciting.

For the last 10 years, I’ve been helping similar companies in the space achieve X, and I love to see companies like yours win. Insert relevant question (i.e. what was the inspiration for starting your company?)

Looking forward to following along your journey.

3. Ask for Opinions

Everyone loves sharing their opinions. Why? Because everyone wants to feel valued and heard. 

Asking for someone’s opinion on a relevant topic can be a great way to open the door to a meaningful conversation.

Here’s an example of how you can reach out:

“Hey [Name], I recently heard you speak on X’s podcast. I’m currently working on [PROJECT/TOPIC], and I’d love to hear your thoughts on [SPECIFIC ASPECT].”

Make sure that you’re adding context and making THEM feel like an expert.

For example, let’s say that you’re putting together a webinar on 3 ways construction companies can increase their cash collections in 90 days or less. 

To get the person involved, you could invite them to guest on the webinar to share their tips on how they’ve done it over the years or mistakes they wish they had known about when starting out.

4. Ask People to Lunch or Coffee

Whenever I’m traveling to a location to meet with a client or if I have downtime during a vacation, I will message a few ideal clients to see if they’d be willing to meet for coffee or lunch. You’d be amazed by how many people are happy to accept the invitation.

And I can confidently say that I have not had one bad experience with getting lunch or coffee. It has ALWAYS been worth it. 

Even if the person doesn’t become a client, it always leads to something beneficial, even if it’s just an introduction to someone else or a friendly face you see around conferences in the future.

5. Comment on Their Content

One really simple and straightforward way to start conversations is to comment on the person’s content. When they share a new post, leave a thoughtful question related to their post.

Here’s an example:

“Hey [Name], I really enjoyed your post about [TOPIC]. Your perspective on [SPECIFIC POINT] was enlightening. How do you think this will evolve in the next few years?”

This is a simple way to get the conversation started, and the person you’re reaching out to will more than likely be happy to share their perspective.

Again, all 5 of these work and will effectively break the ice. 

I’d love to hear from you – which of the 5 strategies above are you going to try next? 

And, that’s a wrap on this Dear Katie question.

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Now I want to hear from you. Do you have a question? 

Submit it here

Until next time, cheers to your success!

Katie