plan, is it?
by Mike Beauchamp
twitter.com/myz06vette
Everywhere I look on Twitter, social media "gurus" are all "sharing" their "big secrets nobody else knows" about how you can attract and retain customers, [both prospective and existing] to your company's social media properties. I read some of them. Or at least begin to.
One of the most prevalent topics on the subject centers around understanding deep analytics, trends and patterns, behaviors, and attitudes of your prospective customer. Then catering your message, your pitch, your online personality, and your brand to that group. Next, you have to figure out [by trial and error] the right day of the week, the right time of day and the right social network to use to connect with those prospects. After that, you have to have a plan for what you're going to say, when, where and how you're going to say it, and wait for a response. Then, there's no real system for deciding who to respond to and when to engage. And if you've got a pissed off customer on your hands, is there a "socially acceptable" rule for how to respond? No wonder the majority of businesses are clueless about social media.
Equally, it's no wonder so many "experts" exist who have "all the answers."
Well luckily for you, I don't claim to be an expert. But I do make my living in social and digital media. And I've had good success. But my employees, my boss, my clients, and my peers have all heard me say it -- I don't consider myself to be an expert. Using social media as a platform for engaging with customers is still, at least when considering the bigger picture, a very new medium.
So I'm not going to rant about expensive social media management tools or services. I'm not going to tell you I've got a "super successful super secret" secret that will make you millions on Twitter. I'm not going to spend any time explaining how to analyze your customer base and their online activity. Instead, here's the key to success. And it's no secret.
Talk. To. Your. Customers.
That's it. Nothing more, nothing less.
Talk to them. Start and participate in conversations with them. Just as if they were standing in your store or calling you on the phone.
See, most of you social media-driven marketers have all been at sales at some point in your career. And you've heard the old adage: 'People buy from people.' No brainer, right?
Your social media presence has to exemplify that. Plain and simple. Instead of branding your Twitter profile with the business's name, use yours. The actual username can be your company name, but in the space where Twitter asks for your full name - use it for exactly that!
The majority of social media managers don't think about this. And they're missing the boat here because they're still stuck in the traditional media mindset. You'd never put your first and last name in a Yellow Page ad (unless it was actually part of the business's name, i.e. Mike Smith Plumbing). But on Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites, you're actually a person. With a name and a face.
If you've been in business for any amount of time already, you're doing something right. So build on that momentum. They key takeaway here: your social media presence [personality] should match yours. Hopefully that also meshes with your company's personality. But most importantly, it should match you. Afterall, you're who the customer will actually be doing business with, right? People buy from people.
Join the Conversation
Once you've got a profile established, it's time to start [or join in on] the conversation. The conversation can be about anything, not just your company's products and services. In fact, it should be about much more than that. The key word is social. Remember that.
So, let's say you're a powersports dealer. You sell motorcycles, ATVs, jetskis, and snowmobiles. That particular industry typically caters to a more affluent crowd. Not always, but generally speaking. Your customers have the disposable income to buy fun. And they buy it via your product because using your product is one of their passions. This is where the conversation starts.
People talk about their passions, their hobbies, their interests, and what they're good at. Join in on that. In case you didn't already know, that conversation is already happening without you. Why not get involved and establish yourself as an authority or an expert? It's your industry and your products they're talking about, afterall. You make your living because those people buy fun in your products.
Conversation around passions, hobbies and interests make you a person. And people buy from people. So leverage the power of social media's huge user base by being part of that conversation. The rest will fall into place automagically. You'll find new customers through conversation. New customers will find you. You'll generate referalls and word of mouth sales. And you'll make your company more friendly and personable.
The worst thing you can do is be a social media salesperson. If your Facebook page and Twitter profile are nothing but "Hey, we got some new widgets in stock today. Come buy one!", I can guarantee you're not getting results you want. Even if your followers like that particular widget. You're not a person in that scenario. You're the annoying used-car salesman voice in those obnoxious radio commercials. Surely that isn't part of your marketing plan, is it?
Be a person. With a name, a face and a personality. Join the conversation. Afterall, conversations aren't rocket science.
