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When it comes to Social Media Marketing it is easy to get caught up in experimenting with different types of strategies and tactics to engage both your veteran and potential customers. Social Media is an animal that is evolving and changing almost daily it seems but there are some elements that will remain constant. Here are some check points that everyone should use when evaluating the health and performance of their social media campaigns:
Who Are You Writing To?
When creating content that will be pushed to your social networks always keep in mind who it is you are trying to reach. You want to customize your content so that it will spark a conversation between you and the customer. Write content for both veteran and potential customers, when you narrow the focus of your posts it can make the customer feel that you are speaking directly to them. This will make them feel that they are valued, which they are, and will increase their loyalty to your brand as well as the likelihood of repeated business.
Are You Meeting Their Needs?
The customer has come to your page. Now what? Connecting with the customer is crucial for brand loyalty, however, it is evermore important that you reach them where they are at. Ask yourself why they have come to that specific page. They have come their with a need, and it is your job to fill that need. By connecting with the customer and finding out why they have come and how you can best help them, you will build a valuable, lasting relationship. If one person is coming to you with a specific need, chances are other people have that same need. From there you can then cater and improve upon the customers experience with your business.
How Are You Addressing Them?
Believe it or not when it comes to status updates, tweets, posts, etc., you have a tone of voice that affects the customer. It is important that you do not speak above or below the level of your customers. Viewers will leave if the conversation is confusing or boring. Also, be careful not to talk down to your viewers as it could offend and anger them, causing them to leave your page potentially harm the reputation of your business. Meet the customer where they are at and make the conversation worthwhile for individual and you will see a rise in engagement.
How Do You Handle Customer Feedback?
Often times, whether you ask for it, people will address their opinions, complaints, concerns, and ideas on how to make your business better. Don’t take offense, take action. Create a way for people to provide you with feedback then plan to address that feedback. From there show your customers that you valued their opinion and how you changed things to meet their needs and suggestions. This shows you value their input and truly care about them, important to the customer and could be the deciding factor in them choosing to go with your business.
Are You Maintaining That Conversation?
A strong relationship requires maintenance. You don’t talk to someone once and expect them to be a close friend for life just from that one conversation. To build a strong relationship with your customers there must be dynamic conversation, whether it be through the comment section on your blog, Facebook Page or tweets. Twitter mentioning and conversations are great for building relationship because it is a conversation between you and that customer only, that the rest of your followers can see. The more your customers see you engaging personally with your customers, the more they see how highly you value your customers. Follow up with customers who had questions to see if their needs were met. Make interacting with your previous and potential customers a daily routine and see how this will build your relationship with them.
Get with your team and ask and answer the questions above, touching upon how you can improve your social media strategy to better reach, connect, engage and cultivate the relationships you have with your customers. Remember the customer is the most important factor to the success of your business. Social Media is the avenue that will allow you to connect, improve and grow your relationship with the customer. Make your campaign all about them and not only will you have a long-lasting customer but you will be astonished at the amount of referrals you will receive from their testimonials. Word of mouth is still one of the most effective forms of marketing, cultivate it by placing the customer above anything else.
March 21, 2011 at 1:06 pm
Great article! Great steps and guidelines to having an effective social presence.