Social media may not be optional moving forward, in the sense that your customers and buyers search online with increased frequency and want to find your brand where it's convenient for them to browse, share, buy.
And as mobile technologies and networks get better, you need to be where all of those things are happening.
When this awareness is part of the processes and practices of a strong business, they end making it more resilient.
When they're not, they become the reason why customer service in social is not fair.
Which is why, what, when, where, and how you do it makes a big difference.
8 social media behaviors that won't win you customers
(1.) you have a blog, or a Twitter account, or a Facebook fan page and still don't understand that the Internet or the world wide web is the context, not your brand
(2.) you're pushing your message at specific users without a connection -- one thing is being syndicated by people who want to pull your feeds, the other is pushing to them, do you understand the difference?
(3.) you're not prepared to address potential issues in real time -- visibility and connections in a two-way medium come at a risk
(4.) you're all over the place, yet there isn't a coordinated effort behind it -- seeing what sticks wasn't a marketing strategy in 2010, it's definitely passe' in 2011
(5.) you're not looking for your fans and evangelists -- or you want to make them conform to your idea of social
(6.) you focus on changing what people say by talking at them, locking them out, or positioning them as crazy when they aren't, instead of looking inwards and changing your business practices as appropriate
(7.) you want to interact with customers, when all customers want from you is a great transaction -- put shopping carts everywhere, and support those transactions
(8.) you fail to learn from the feedback people provide on social sites
We watch each other when making decisions. Your reputation precedes you and changes upon your behavior. Know where your customers are and what they share. Show up, but know why you're there, and bring good content with you.
[adapted from the archives]
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Nice list. I'm amazed at all the "social media gurus" who don't seem to understand this. I've posted comments on several blogs or on their Facebook or Google+ sites only to find my opinions ridiculed by the guru. Duh, don't you get it -- I'm taking valuable time to give you feedback. If you hate it, feel free to ignore it.
I would add 1 item to your list - ignoring attempts at engagement. I always respond to comments on my blogs -- http://hausmanmarketresearch.org and http://LetsBlogforMoney.org. I also respond when folks post stuff on my wall or mention me on G+. If someone Retweets something, they always get a thank you. Go ahead and try me. If you're getting so much traffic you can't respond to comment, hire someone to help you. Don't ignore people or pretty soon they'll ignore you.
Angela Hausman, PhD
Posted by: Angela Hausman, PhD | July 18, 2011 at 08:22 AM
I visited your site linked here and I found lots of quotes and information on expertise. What I didn't find is a personal presentation of Angela Hausman. That might be a turn off for people. The tone of the site is about "us" and it feels like a company selling all kinds of services. People connect with people.
Posted by: Valeria Maltoni | July 18, 2011 at 08:30 AM
Very well done. I have been looking for a way to tell my clients this exact thing. Thanks for putting the words together so well.
Posted by: Scot Duke | July 18, 2011 at 08:58 AM
Somewhere between 1 & 2, above, is buying another firm, then dumping endless press releases talking about your greatness to the acquired organization's contact list.
If you have to tell the world why your company or merger matters... it doesn't. :)
Posted by: Brian Driggs | July 18, 2011 at 11:57 AM
Failing to learn from the feedback of users strikes me as one of the most important. It's amazing how many prominent bloggers have blasted Amex (most recently Jeff Jarvis) without them even blinking.
Posted by: Al Pittampalli | July 18, 2011 at 02:53 PM
I find it easier to learn about disconnects earlier in the engagement, rather than later. Earlier allows you to address it and fix it so everyone wins.
Posted by: Valeria Maltoni | July 18, 2011 at 03:10 PM
there is one specific PR agency that is driving me insane with dozens of irrelevant press releases making noise about stuff they no doubt recommend their clients issue releases on so they can carpet the blogosphere with noise... I feel sorry for them. To me that is not aggressive, it's a waste of clients' money.
Posted by: Valeria Maltoni | July 18, 2011 at 03:13 PM
and on top of that, they launch a "listening" platform for small business.
Posted by: Valeria Maltoni | July 18, 2011 at 03:14 PM
Another thing is not recognizing everyone in your organization as an equal. In some industries where the part time staff outnumbers the full time staff there is an informational divide. So allowing the part time staff to be part of the organization and allowing them the same content everyone else gets is critical in this digital age so they can evangelize the brand.
Posted by: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=712406420 | August 05, 2011 at 06:01 PM