Many companies that were absent from the social scene were amused about how much they didn’t know about their customers and performance. With social media, companies are mending the gaps between themselves and their customers and humanizing their approach in communicating as opposed to previous marketing and advertising efforts.
Here are the Do’s for using social media:
- Use it as a listening tool.Listen to what is being said about you rather than as a microphone to talk about yourself.
- Use it for customer support. We’re in the age of the consumer. Use social to directly respond to complaints and speak 1-on-1 with the customer.
- For answering FAQs.Transparency is key. You will be bombarded with questions so take the opportunity to reply your customers so that they will feel comfortable with your brand.
Here are the Don’ts:
- Responding with anger.Don’t take messages personally. Keep your cool in any situation because any wrong move will turn the customer into a victim.
- Replying incorrectly.If you’re ever unsure of what to reply to a customer, pause a bit and consult with your team. It’s better to answer accurately than to provide a wrong answer. It will look unprofessional.
- Ignoring the attention.Being on social media means you’re in the spotlight so be careful when conversations become heated. Encourage the customer to contact you offline rather than sending messages back and forth where millions of people are viewing.
Social is a double edged sword. It can reward small businesses with cost effective ways to reach their customers and it can also harm businesses that use it carelessly. So carefully review what you do or say and you will be able to control your brand’s story the way you want.