Since the explosion of social media, brands and businesses have been tapping into their audiences on a larger scale than ever before, and it’s no wonder; it’s a direct line to your customers. Social media offers a detailed insight into your customers’ thoughts, feelings and experiences, and they’re often more than willing to express themselves on their own platform, rather than on a feedback form or rating system, for example.
For many businesses, the idea of receiving feedback on a public forum is a terrifying one, which is understandable. But rather than seeing it as a nightmare waiting to happen, embracing all that social media has to offer in its many forms is a positive step for any business, and here’s why.
Social Media Monitoring Can Generate Sales That Otherwise Might Have Been Abandoned
If John from Southport was halfway through his order when he became frustrated with the service and decided he didn’t want to continue, he might take a moment to rant about it online. Being able to contact John and potentially resolve his problem could turn a negative interaction into a positive one, and could actually lead him to continue with his sale, as well as the many others who might experience the same thing.
As well as this, you can reach out to customers who aren’t even customers yet. If someone’s complaining about the price of coffee, send them a coupon for half off at their local shop. They’ll definitely be back for more.
It Allows You to Respond to Complaints Quickly, and with Personality
We all know that the first place people go when they’re frustrated is social media. Why? Well, they tend to receive a response quickly, and usually, the outcome leans in favour of the customer. Being able to tackle your customer gripes in a timely manner before they escalate into a bigger problem is positive – it’s another avenue for them to receive great customer service and is less frustrating for them than say, waiting in a call queue or for an email. You’re also able to put across the brand tone of voice in your response, and as the problem is public, so is the solution.
As well as this, listening to your customers could help you identify a major flaw or problem within your company, which could then lead to some great changes along the way to enhance your customer experience. Think of social media as that one friend who always tells you the truth – it might be tough to deal with, but ultimately you need to hear it.
You Can be Made Aware of all the Good Things People are Saying About Your Business
On the flipside, if someone receives exceptional service from your company, there’s a chance they’re going to talk about it online, and word of mouth is still one of the most powerful marketing tools. From there, you can adjust your strategies based on what people want to see more of, and you’ve got the information straight from the horse’s mouth. You can also personally reach out and thank them, therefore adding to the positive experience.
You’re Able to see What Your Competition is Doing
Everybody loves a good online stalk (no judgement here), and companies are no different. Want to see what people are saying about your competitors? Simply search it online. From there, you can identify what you should do more of, and what you might want to avoid.
You Can Reach Out to Influencers Easily
Bloggers and influencers are keen to get involved with brands for a variety of reasons and their followings are indispensable. They can help you tap into wider audiences and create a great reputation for the brand, and they’re much easier to access when you know where to find them. The blogging community are quickly becoming the celebrities of tomorrow, and some amazing partnerships can be made.
It Allows You to Keep On Top of Emerging Trends
While some online trends last for five minutes, others last for months or even years, and knowing what’s popular can help you plan your future campaigns and give you an edge over your competitors.
You Can Interact with Customers, and Develop a Relationship With Them
Putting across your brand personality and creating a personal relationship with your customer can make them feel special, and they’ll be more likely to come back time and time again. Showing them that you’re human, that you can be funny, caring and helpful all with a few words and the click of a button is only going to add to the customer’s overall experience.
You Might Even Find a Few Employees Along the Way
Utilising sites like LinkedIn to identify potential candidates for roles can make the hiring process much easier. You’re able to reach out directly to someone who might fit the bill, and find out more about them before they’ve even thought about sending in an application.
Social media isn’t going away anytime soon – in fact, it’s only getting stronger day by day. There’s a conversation happening about your brand whether you want it to or not, and it would be much more beneficial to you to get involved.
Want to know more? Get in touch with us today.
