“Social” Social Media
Making a company social media savvy is a necessity for any business these days. A Facebook page or Twitter feed can help promote goods and services and get your message out to a wider audience. It’s easy to set up, it’s free, and it lets you connect with your customers.
The last ability can be a bit of a snag, though. Social media lets customers bring their concerns right to you, sure, but that freedom also means it can let these customers do a lot more.
The best policy to take when it comes to social media complaints and concerns is one with three simple rules: respond quickly, be gracious, and for the love of God,for be polite. Even if the customer is being unfair, it is always a bad look for any company to show anger or what could be construed as cruelty to a customer. Take it to private messages if possible, and don’t get sucked into a public argument.
Of course, social media means your company will get a lot of other kinds of messages, too. These can give a company a great opportunity to be funny, smart, and even a little heroic.
Twitter lets people all over the world converse with one another, and that includes fast food joints with strange conspiracy theorists. Taco Bell took that opportunity to convince these people that they (and the grand conspiracy they’re a part of) aren’t so bad after all.
It’s important to take criticism with aplomb, dignity, and maybe make a last ditch effort to convince the customer they shouldn’t leave you.
So while social media can seem like a mixed blessing, it often gives companies chances to show that they aren’t entirely humorless. Responding in hilarious ways can earn new audiences, because so many consumers nowadays find sharp, funny responses appealing. Think of the Old Spice commercials – humor works, and many demographics respond well to it.
We’ll leave you with a thought: Starting today, put the “Social” in your Social Media!
