In the era of digital media, brands are able to create the platform to have their shareholders establish a connection or relationship that can be carried with them no matter where they go. This can be an exciting opportunity to grow a customer base, build a community, join conversations and learn new perspectives about what you are offering as an organization.

However, these relationships should be approached just like our own personal relationships. We need to have respect for the other person’s time, resources and personal space. We also need to be sincere and honest in how we express ourselves, as well.

There are plenty of examples of companies that have posted too frequently without any particular purpose, overreacting every time someone shares a positive comment or positive news story or the opposite − completely ignoring all user comments altogether.

In our own personal lives, we would not display these tendencies to those we love or want to get to know better, so why should our social relationships be any different?

Having someone choose to follow your brand digitally should not be a goal of your digital and social media strategy. Instead, it should be a way to share information and receive feedback to help facilitate the interaction of your company and its fan base. To grow, it means having respect, patience, kindness and understanding of what the other person wants from you and your ability to share what you want from them.