How to engage customers through social media
A healthy social media presence also requires early planning and a regular drumbeat of contributions, communications, answers and updates to reflect the speed with which this community moves. This lightening quick way of communicating is quickly becoming the accepted norm. As a result, resellers that can adapt their communications to accommodate this change can ensure they continue delivering services above and beyond customers’ expectations.
People are likely blogging, and sharing information about your company online, even as we speak, regardless of whether you have a social media strategy in place or not. And so, the old adage ‘if you can’t beat ‘em join’ them seems particularly well suited here. Social media is a phenomenon that cannot be ignored. So, it makes sense to start engaging with potential customers through this medium and begin monitoring the networks to see what is being written about your company and even your competitors. As they talk about your company news, their own views of your brand or their experiences of working with you, a good social networking strategy will enable select employees in your company to respond to queries and correct misconceptions in real time, helping to shape conversations and decisions that affect the way your brand is being perceived.
Tone of Voice
It is this level of human interaction that is the greatest appeal of social media but also often the biggest challenge for traditional marketers to overcome. Even though you might be acting as an ‘official’ representative of your company, it’s best to stay casual and transparent - honesty is key. Social networks are extremely public and highly visible. In an instant, content and comments can be distributed outside of networks and gain momentum outside of your control. To ensure you stay on message, it’s best to have dedicated staff who can remain on message and can ensure the conversation is balanced and controlled when it comes to responding to comments posted online.
Companies such as BT are already doing an impressive job of monitoring social networks and responding to queries and complaints they find there. As customer contact centres begin to integrate social media into their framework, we can expect to see a lot more of this. Whether it is technicians engaging directly with customers who might be having difficulty configuring software to their mobile, or customer service representatives simply offering links to helpful forums, by being present on social media platforms and by monitoring customer queries, companies can offer immediate help, which means faster response times and happier customers and partners.
Social media experts can also help create content that is interesting enough to be distributed from peer to peer and eventually go “viral” attracting new audiences and followers. While Stephen Fry has become something of a Twitter phenomenon, attracting millions of followers, so too have more unlikely figures such as John Prescott, who has used social networking to drive political debate both in the UK and across Europe.
Social media is a means to reach potential customers in a personal way and influence their perception of your company. It can generate greater awareness of your organisation and even new business. The way customers communicate is evolving and social media is one of the tools companies can use to take part in the conversation – a simple tweet, tag or blog post is an easy and effective way to stay even more connected to your customer. The key is to do it regularly and with relevance and as part of an integrated marketing mix.
