2012 is quickly approaching, and you and your competitors are no doubt gearing up in anticipation. The tough economy means that it’s more important than ever to be thinking on your feet and making accurate business predictions and decisions. The new social media economy is changing the way business is conducted rapidly, but it doesn’t have to be scary. There are now more ways than ever to engage with your customers, establish new relationships, and find out the buzz on you and your competition. Here are 3 suggestions to get you started:
2012 Will Be Social, Whether You Are Or Not
The social media marketing game is still relatively young, but in 2012 your customers are sure to be turning to social media sites to see what people are saying about you and your competition. It’s easier than ever for them to get the scoop on what other people think about your product, what other options are out there, and how you treat your customers. By being active and engaging on social media, you can monitor the conversation, add input when relevant, and deal with customer issues in real time. But you have to take the social plunge to do so. If you don’t, you can bet your competitors will, and you’ll be losing out to your social savvy competition.
The Old Model Of Selling Is Out
The new model of customer engagement means that there’s a new model of selling as well. Companies trying to sell the same way they’ve always sold on social media are going to be frustrated with the results. Your customers don’t want to log on to social media, just to be shouted at about your newest product, service, or blog post. They view social media as a platform for interaction and engagement, and will expect that you treat it as such. That means asking questions, providing valuable content, and responding to their content. Remember, your customers are people, and people crave trust and value from their relationships. It’s no different in the social media sphere.
You Don’t Have To Spend A Lot To Reach Your Customers
You just have to take advantage of all the free and affordable tools out there to understand who your customers are, so you can more accurately cater to their needs. You may be a small business that sells car parts. Are your customers auto shop mechanics, 40-year-old men doing work on their Chevrolets, young women with a thing for cars, or all of the above? Understanding who your customers are and what they’re looking for from you is crucial to establishing a relationship. You can start by creating a simple survey and sending it out to your customers to find out more about them, what they are interested in, and how satisfied they are with your products or services.
You also want to be paying attention to what they’re saying about you, your market, and your competition. There are tons of great, cost-effective tools out there that can help you monitor these conversations. From Hootsuite, to Google Alerts, to Radian 6, pick one that fits your budget and needs. When you hear someone paying you a compliment, remember to say “thank you,” and ask them if they’d be willing to do a customer success story with you. When they’re venting about something that went wrong, humbly apologize, and ask how you can make it right. This kind of attentive customer service will increase your positive brand reputation and customer retention, and it’ll help prevent a customer-service fiasco that can all too easily blow up when angry customers vent on social media.
Getting to know your customers on social media will pay off in ways that we may not be able to fully comprehend yet. But your competition is definitely trying to figure out how to capitalize on the capabilities presented by these new platforms. You better be too.
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