Social Media - Use it to Listen
"Knowing I need to listen and how to listen is not enough.
Unless I want to listen, have the desire, it won't be a habit in my life.
" Stephen Covey 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Listening Inspired Marketing The amount of time people are spending on line interacting with sites like Facebook and Twitter has increased exponentially in just the past year.
Businesses are discovering that by listening to and interacting in the conversations, they are able to tap into the pulse of their market.
Listening to the comments and feedback of customers through Social Media is a key component to providing quality service.
Mobile phones are a global phenomena and offer "instant" influence in the branding and buying power among consumers.
Facebook now has over 1.
2 million members.
Recent reports show that the average Facebook viewers spend an average of 55 minutes a day interacting on that site alone, sharing information, commenting on friends status and sites that they "like" as well as visiting recommended pages.
On Facebook alone, one Page owner can influence all of their thousands of followers with one click.
Add into that the factor that most people active in Social Networking participate and link many accounts such as LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and more extending their circle of influence even further.
How Businesses can "Listen" 1.
Listen by observing the influencers - Locate those who have the highest number of followers or friends and join the group, like the page or follow the influencer.
Then study their approach.
Many have a strategy of communication that has attracted their followers and keep them loyal.
Determine what that strategy is that works and duplicate it.
What are they saying? How are they involving people in conversation? How do they recognize the loyal contributors? What are they offering that is of value? Most often you will find an influencer builds momentum by being helpful, providing valuable tips and answering questions.
They are interactive and communicate in an engaging way.
2.
Listen by gathering data - What are the topics that are receiving the most attention? Which topics get repeated and passed on? Learn by example.
Customize the message into a style that works for your business.
Are people talking about items in the news, recent purchases or problems they need to have solved? What are the feelings being communicated - frustration, excitement, confusion? Respond to that in conversation.
Notice how those who report information tend to not be as interactive.
They insert a quote or a link and leave.
Those who ask questions or respond to status updates interact & generate additional responses which build relationships.
3.
Listen by following selectively in areas that relate to your business - Make choices about the people you wish to listen to therefore cutting out the noise and data that isn't meaningful for your business focus.
Large numbers are not necessarily your goal.
There is something chaotic about the herd mentality of random followers.
By being focused and purposeful in how you manage your social media accounts, you will find you are listening to meaningful conversations that you can use to monitor and adjust details within your business.
4.
Listen because you want to participate - Consciously become active in the conversations.
Be a leader raising questions and issues in a group.
Genuinely offer your help and services, solve problems offer solutions, provide quality information and be of value to those in conversation with you.
Respond and interact.
As a business person, this may mean not selling or promoting your product but gathering information to improve your service, be more helpful, assist is making a transaction go more smoothly.
It has been said that at Zappos - the CEO tweets on a regular basis and he is a friend who happens to sell shoes.
Are you tweeting consistently? 5.
Listen to discover signals and trends - By paying attention, one can see the slight changes in direction, the newest trends and be a part of the wave.
Be sensitive to the news reports or local happenings and concerns in your business community.
A blood bank in Texas took advantage of a "Tweet Up" scheduling a blood drive using Twitter that was very successful.
By watching the trends it is easier to be on the front side then lost in the out flow of "too late" when it shifts again.
Social Media has become the core of communication on line with the advantage of knowing what is happening now.
You customer service department should be on top of a trend affecting your business and respond accordingly.
Knowing that you should be listening and how to listen is not enough.
Listening to conversations on line demands that you have a desire to participate.
If you personally don't, enlist an employee who does - it will make a world of difference.
With a focused Social Marketing listening plan, your business has advantages over those who do not.
The "new" marketing plan to build loyal fans is building relationships.
How well are you listening?
Unless I want to listen, have the desire, it won't be a habit in my life.
" Stephen Covey 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Listening Inspired Marketing The amount of time people are spending on line interacting with sites like Facebook and Twitter has increased exponentially in just the past year.
Businesses are discovering that by listening to and interacting in the conversations, they are able to tap into the pulse of their market.
Listening to the comments and feedback of customers through Social Media is a key component to providing quality service.
Mobile phones are a global phenomena and offer "instant" influence in the branding and buying power among consumers.
Facebook now has over 1.
2 million members.
Recent reports show that the average Facebook viewers spend an average of 55 minutes a day interacting on that site alone, sharing information, commenting on friends status and sites that they "like" as well as visiting recommended pages.
On Facebook alone, one Page owner can influence all of their thousands of followers with one click.
Add into that the factor that most people active in Social Networking participate and link many accounts such as LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and more extending their circle of influence even further.
How Businesses can "Listen" 1.
Listen by observing the influencers - Locate those who have the highest number of followers or friends and join the group, like the page or follow the influencer.
Then study their approach.
Many have a strategy of communication that has attracted their followers and keep them loyal.
Determine what that strategy is that works and duplicate it.
What are they saying? How are they involving people in conversation? How do they recognize the loyal contributors? What are they offering that is of value? Most often you will find an influencer builds momentum by being helpful, providing valuable tips and answering questions.
They are interactive and communicate in an engaging way.
2.
Listen by gathering data - What are the topics that are receiving the most attention? Which topics get repeated and passed on? Learn by example.
Customize the message into a style that works for your business.
Are people talking about items in the news, recent purchases or problems they need to have solved? What are the feelings being communicated - frustration, excitement, confusion? Respond to that in conversation.
Notice how those who report information tend to not be as interactive.
They insert a quote or a link and leave.
Those who ask questions or respond to status updates interact & generate additional responses which build relationships.
3.
Listen by following selectively in areas that relate to your business - Make choices about the people you wish to listen to therefore cutting out the noise and data that isn't meaningful for your business focus.
Large numbers are not necessarily your goal.
There is something chaotic about the herd mentality of random followers.
By being focused and purposeful in how you manage your social media accounts, you will find you are listening to meaningful conversations that you can use to monitor and adjust details within your business.
4.
Listen because you want to participate - Consciously become active in the conversations.
Be a leader raising questions and issues in a group.
Genuinely offer your help and services, solve problems offer solutions, provide quality information and be of value to those in conversation with you.
Respond and interact.
As a business person, this may mean not selling or promoting your product but gathering information to improve your service, be more helpful, assist is making a transaction go more smoothly.
It has been said that at Zappos - the CEO tweets on a regular basis and he is a friend who happens to sell shoes.
Are you tweeting consistently? 5.
Listen to discover signals and trends - By paying attention, one can see the slight changes in direction, the newest trends and be a part of the wave.
Be sensitive to the news reports or local happenings and concerns in your business community.
A blood bank in Texas took advantage of a "Tweet Up" scheduling a blood drive using Twitter that was very successful.
By watching the trends it is easier to be on the front side then lost in the out flow of "too late" when it shifts again.
Social Media has become the core of communication on line with the advantage of knowing what is happening now.
You customer service department should be on top of a trend affecting your business and respond accordingly.
Knowing that you should be listening and how to listen is not enough.
Listening to conversations on line demands that you have a desire to participate.
If you personally don't, enlist an employee who does - it will make a world of difference.
With a focused Social Marketing listening plan, your business has advantages over those who do not.
The "new" marketing plan to build loyal fans is building relationships.
How well are you listening?
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