Sure, ROI’s matter. And in the business world, the larger the number, the better we all look on paper. But what about the intangible metrics that matter? Factors like word of mouth “advertising” or measuring the reasons behind higher customerengagement or even humanizing the interaction between a brand and its clientele?
When social media opened its doors to include business pages and accounts, companies fell into a race to attain the highest number of followers. It’s great to be popular, but a one-dimensional strategy to become the most influential player on the block doesn’t go too far.
Eventually, we’ll all have to start paying attention to what our followers are saying, what they’re asking from us and how we can effectively change our processes to make sure their needs are being met.
The real challenge here becomes knowing how to create, foster and sustain long-term relationships. For both, macro and micro level scenarios, never losing focus of the customer is always important. And to keep them coming back, you need to move out of their peripheral vision and into immediate visibility.
How? Well that’s why we’re here.
Empower your audience. We’ve talked about audience empowerment before. You may have a celebrity brand ambassador, but recognizing and acknowledging the follower base is extremely important. Respond to queries. Say “Thank You!” for an expressive and complimentary comment. Showcase the fans. Simple efforts go a long way in making your clientele feel like the stars of your organization.
Safe Spaces and Sharing. One of the most popular sites on the Internet right now, with matching numbers for the most downloaded app, is PostSecret. Why? Because people are always welcome to speak their mind, engage their creativity and the site has ubiquitous accessibility. Given the thousands of messages sent across to the proprietor every week, being featured on the blog is a necessarily “big deal.” .
A welcome space and presence can be built by humanizing the interaction and engagement with the crowd. The ROI’s are bound to follow.
