“Join us on Facebook and Twitter!” I always chuckle when I hear that at the end of a TV ad — as if people whose program you’re interrupting are going to take the time to pull out their phone or laptop and connect with you on a social network. The same is true of Twitter & Facebook (and other social network) icons in print ads. As a business, it’s your job to find and listen to your customers. Why do you expect your customers to do your work for you?
Build It & Go to Them
Instead of building a Twitter profile and a custom Facebook page and spending time trying to attract people to like and fan you, use those profiles as a way to find your customers and listen to what they’re saying. When you take the time to listen to the concerns and questions people have, and answer them, people will be more open to connecting with you. Instead of a self-centered, promotional bastard, you’ll become a sympathetic ear.
What They Want
It’s really nothing new: business is about giving customers something they want. The same is true of social media or any marketing tool. When you give customers the information or support they want, they will be more willing to purchase from you. Do the work of figuring out what your customers need and why, and address those needs directly in your content.
How do you use social media to do the work for your customers?
(photo by koalazymonkey, on Flickr)