The success of social media is built on the foundation of effective relationships with customers and clients. For some people, building and establishing relationships is not always an easy thing to do. If you are trying to get anywhere in the competitive world of online business, you should establish and maintain solid, long-standing and mutually agreeable relationships.
In the present online world, businesses interact with one another with the help of e-mails, SMS es, messaging and conferencing. The days of face to face interaction and over the table conversations have disappeared. Social media tools like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and the like have become the places where business relationships are built, maintained and preserved. One of the main reasons for the change in the way businesses are conducted is the changing trends in economy and the advancements in technology. In the fast paced economy, business managers are either persistently on the phone or constantly traveling to different places. With such inflexible schedules, they resort to using social media tools to help them communicate and engage with their customers in real-time.
There are a number of ways to build relationships through social media and public conversation. Regardless of the social media platform you choose, a few important points should be kept in mind always.
1. Be courteous:
There is no substitute for politeness and courteousness. Online conversations should be polite, interactive and informative. Being open to different ideas and valuing the ideals of different people goes a long way in increasing your blog’s credibility and earning you respect. The success of your business depends a lot on the success of your relationships with customers and clients. You need not wait for your customers to initiate conversations with you.
2. Be real:
Nobody is interested in reading about something they are not able to relate to, is not unique and is not real. Your blog shouldn’t look like a heavily designed robotic narration of events that is designed to generate tweets and posts about your brand. Your readers are people with personalities and they expect content that’s real too.
3. Don’t sell:
Your readers will certainly be able to look through your blog posts if they are promotional and sales oriented. Share industry related news, latest technology news, family and entertainment news that your readers would be able to relate to. Provide good quality and informative content to develop a fan base.
4. Be consistent:
Make sure you post content on a regular basis. You should find a balance by posting regularly without being annoying. Be consistent; too much delay in updating latest information will also prove costly in the long run.
5. Keep in touch:
Comment, repost, and Retweet to what your readers have to say. By doing so, you are showing that you appreciate their interaction and their involvement. By reposting and responding to their comments, you are starting a new conversation and a new relationship.
6. Regularly monitor:
You should know what your customers are talking about. Allocate an hour each day to respond to comments and react to conversations you have started. Monitoring social media sites is a good way to know what current topics are being discussed in forums. It will also give you ideas for future discussions.
7. Stay updated:
News that’s doing the rounds nationally and internationally will grab the reader’s attention effectively. So choose topics that are relevant, current and informative.
8. Be positive:
Remember that not everyone will be impressed with your product or blog. Take criticism in a dignified, calm and friendly manner. Reacting to situations ultimately rests with you. If you are prepared to deal with criticism in an open and constructive manner, you might actually mend strained relationships.
9. Get personal:
It’s a good idea to respond to individual posts and tweets. This will help create a personal relationship and help keep the discussion moving forward. Your readers are likely to appreciate personal interactions and conversations.
10. Build trust:
A relationship built on trust will stand the test of time. It will take considerable time for any business relationship to mature in to a loyal and mutually beneficial one. You can build trust in a relationship only if you communicate your ideas clearly, if you are transparent and sincere in your interactions.
At the heart of social media success is communication, interaction and relationship building. Social media platforms are effective tools in helping businesses interact with various groups of people and markets. Interaction helps in building effective relationships. The minute you interact with your customers and clients you get opportunities to grow. The need and importance of social media can’t be undermined as it helps improve customer relationships, engage and reassure clients. Online reputation of your business should be carefully designed and preserved as relationships with your clients and customers are essential for the success of your business.
Author Bio:This is a guest post by Ethan Millers of bw9.com, a site that offers savings and current information on comcs cable and internet, as well as other Comcast.com services
