Every morning I drive to work with Brian and Kathleen. We have some great exchanges in the morning. Brian always challenges me to think more critically. It gives me something to talk about at the water cooler. He has a young family and tries really hard to be a good dad. Kathleen is so smart, but a less heady conversationalist. She and I laugh a lot and she sometimes picks on Brian. He just shakes his head and we laugh harder! I don't even mind my drive when I'm with my friends.
These friends of mine, they are the on air talent for the morning show I listen to on the radio in my car! It seems like we're really friends and we really do laugh together, well, at least at the same time.
Many people engage in these Parasocial Relationships each and every day and it is a piece of marketing the auction or deals items on your website that should not be ignored. The on air talent should be discussing the items on the auction that are appealing to them. The ones that they would purchase if they could, the ones that they personally had a part in getting for the auction or the ones that their friends are battling over.
It doesn't stop at the on-air talent though. All staff members should be chatting up the auction or deal site to their social circles. Using Twitter or Facebook, SnapChat or Instagram accounts to promote the auction will broaden the reach and grow the database and the bidder base. As the Sales Team approaches merchants, encourage them to "get" the merchants they are most interested in themselves. The ones that they would want to brag about to their friends, their children, their parents and their social circles. I love it when my friends give me tips! Whether they are real friends or parasocial friends, doesn't seem to matter.
Talking about the ecommerce in both Real-social relationships and Para-social relationships will engage those in your circles and cause them to want to be a part of the deal or at least to check it out to see what you're talking about.
Don't discount your influence - make it personal
