What is the most important step in implementing a social media strategy for your business? The first step? The second step?
Listening and then responding.
What most businesses fail to realize (those who start using social media without a plan or any type of integration) is that the social media sphere would rather be listened to first and communicated with… second.
The consumer is now in control of the conversation. We are in control of how we respond, interact, and praise/degrade every brand underneath the sun.
Businesses who jump into the conversation and broadcast a message but fail to interact are failing miserably at the art of communication within social media. It is important to realize the potential of what David Armano calls micro-interactions where you the brand are responding only after you have listened to what your customers are communicating.
Remember to always listen before speaking… respond when necessary and add a little flavor into the mix. Get to know the people you are interacting with.. only then will you realize the full potential of viral growth through social media.
What about big businesses who don't interact with people on Twitter? I think they fail more than the small businesses.
Any business who does not respond to individuals who are speaking to a brand… fail. They both do.
Great point Kyle. What I've seen is that how companies behave in the real world if often similar to how they behave in this social media sphere. Right or wrong, they will do what comes naturally.
I agree with this entirely. The whole marketing dynamic is so upside down. Marketers are used to controlling the message with advertising. We can no longer do that when the consumer controls the message which is what makes social media companies such a great asset.
Great post, Kyle!
I love this post Kyle. As a pastor to a demographic primarily existing within the social media sphere, this concept also serves me well. It is my increasing goal to figure out ways to use social media to LISTEN instead of TALK…a difficult task for someone like me.
Great post/reminder! It's not "broadcast" media or at least it's not built that way. The collective community quickly dismisses that sort of behavior. What's more, brands/companies that aren't responsive when provided the opportunity are also quickly dismissed.