Social media platforms allow you to interact with your customers quite easily, and yet many businesses fail to do just that. Hop in here and have a little read our Top 5 Business Tips for interacting with your own customers on the various social media platforms. It is not as daunting as it first appears. If you put in thought, structure and strategy, (and not a huge amount!) then you will be well on the way to increasing your turnover, which is the aim of business, is it not?
At the start, and of course during the life time of your business, you will be faced with a vast choice of Social Media platforms, eg Twitter, FaceBook, Google+, LinkedIn. It can be overwhelming. Our advice is to first profile your ideal client and work from that. This will aid you in choosing the best platform for your clientele. It is impossible to be on all the Social Media platforms, so pick a couple and stick with those. (Sweat those assets baby!)
Tip 1 – Don’t ignore your customers comments, whether negative or positive
Social Media is great way to gain traction with your customers. As good old Henry (Ford) said, “it is the Customer who pays the wages, not The Boss“! It is a great way to get instant feedback from your customers. You can test a product before you have even brought it to market, with polls etc. Every business owner aims to increase their Customer base in order to grow sales. There are many ways to achieve this using Social Media. The most important thing is not to ignore customers comments, whether positive or negative. Don’t be afraid of the negative and just deal with it. It you attract a Troll just hide their comments, don’t block them, they will know you have blocked them and this is like a red rag to a bull. See Joules here as an example. An outstanding clothing and lifestyle brand.
Tip 2 – Give your business a personality
Keeping your business as friendly and personable as possible, will encourage an increase in your customer base. Remember “people buy from people” so they want to see a personality behind the wheel. How about, doing posts about Employees on Facebook, possibly photos of them as a child and then what they look like now. This will give you, the Employer, the a personable profile which will make you attractive to the Twitterati. Innocent Smoothies do a super job of this. Cara Pharmacies are also a great example.
Tip 3 – Respond rapidly
Your replies to queries, ‘shares’ etc on each platform should be answered as rapidly as possible. By not answering asap, you portray the impression that your business is a bit sluggish. Keep in mind that Social Media moves at a whirlwind pace, whichever platform you are using. As a result business today is fast moving, and you need to keep up the pace!
Tip 4 – Run a fun competition
What about running a Competition or Event? This will encourage Customers to participate, share and like. Again increasing your Customer base and portraying your friendly profile. Maybe photos taken by customers holding your product (i.e. “guess where our latest was product was last seen”?), answering a question, doing a puzzle, the list is endless. Get your thinking cap on for something appropriate to your own business. Cath Kidston is the master at this. They even have a dedicated Twitter account for their customer service @CK_lovetolisten.
Tip 5 – The Customer is King
Remember your Customers are loyal to you, as long as the service is good and you engage with them. They will endorse you, like and share your business if you engage with them. So it is your job to put out the hand of friendship and nurture them. Remember! One little important tip, try not to target the same people all the time, sharing it around is vital. You do not want to be seen as repetitive or boring!
We’d love to hear what you think or how you handle your social media platforms. You can talk to us on Facebook, Twitter or Google Plus.
