In a relationship, everyone wants to have a sense of belonging, appreciation and loyalty. You want to feel like “you’re part of the group” if it’s with friends or feel appreciated by your significant other. The same can be said about businesses and their relationships with consumers and how you communicate with them.
Look at some of the biggest, most successful brands: Coca-Cola, Starbucks, Borders, CVS or even some smaller ones with uber loyal fans like Moe’s Southwestern Grill. People love their products/services so much they talk about them, write about them, wear clothes with their logo on them and even put bumper stickers on their car. They didn’t just ask consumers if they would promote their brands for them, they established a relationship and foster loyalty through rewards programs and customer service – and communication.
Now, more than EVER before, we have the tools to see and hear what people are saying, join in the conversation and fuel their passion and brand loyalty. You can’t just create a Facebook business page, set up a Twitter account and join Digg or Flickr and think the work is done though. The relationship has just begun – you just met, essentially.
When you meet someone knew there’s always a time where both parties are a little awkward and you have learn about each other, fostering trust. As communicators we have to go back to the basics sometimes – listen.
1. What do they (your customer) want, ideally from you, or that product/service category?
2. How can you help them?
3. How are you better than the competition?
4. What would make them come back?
5. How can you communicate with them better? Social media, perhaps?
Make them feel welcome, wanted and appreciated. Customer service that goes the distance is one easy step that will set you apart. Too often it’s the teenage store clerk with a bad attitude at the counter that sends the wrong message to your consumers. You can’t be there all the time, so train them well.
Twitter is an ideal way to create a new relationship, foster it and reward your consumer’s loyalty – and top-of-mind awareness. Use it to share news not only about your company, but the industry, national events, etc. Remember: we’re not selling, we’re communicating in a relationship!
Go back to the beginning. Think about your connection to your customers as a relationship and how you can make it better. Share the love!
@mikestenger
You hit it spot on Samantha! It’s quite amazing how people stray away from the fact that you need to always be building relationships, especially in social media. You shared some great tips and also, I think it’s important to add that the more value you put out there, the more value you will receive.
Relationships work the same way. If you put good work and value into it, you will develop a bond with the other person in social media.
This is a great tip @GetPushing, i also find it rude when you ask something about the product and dont get a reply until like 5 days later.
Soi think you should also be vigilant in answering questions from your readers about your product, it also builds an impression to them.
@getpushing
Thanks for your feedback Mike & Janice. I’m glad to hear others agree. Together we can change the way marketers and businesses use Twitter and social media as a whole. I appreciate your insights and look forward to connecting with you more on Twitter.