How to Listen Via Social Media and How It Can Help Your Business

While so many companies, large and small, are turning to social media as a primary marketing tool, are they really listening to what their customers have to say on the networks?

“Listening” via social media is an interesting concept. Since social media is a real-time medium for interaction, quick responses are necessary in order to make your followers/customers feel like you are hearing what they have to say. Many companies use canned responses (much like that oh-so-annoying automated phone system) to reply to customer inquiries. It’s so important for your customers to feel like a real person is on the other end of the computer and is taking their question, complaint, or suggestion seriously.

For small businesses, it’s particularly important to engage with your customers in a social media setting. While someone might accept a pre-formatted response from a big company, likely figuring that they are too big and busy to answer personally, a small business gives a personal feel. This should reflect in your social media interactions.

Here are some ways that you can demonstrate to your followers that you are hearing what they have to say:

Respond Quickly – ideally, you would respond to customer inquiries/feedback on your social media pages within 2 hours, at the most. Not only does this keep your customers happy, it also keeps negativity at bay. If a customer posts a negative comment or experience, the faster you can get to it and put out the fire, the better. Also, businesses should be prepared to respond to crisis situations.  Situations like that can explode very quickly, and if you aren’t paying attention, it can have a negative impact on your business.

Ask Questions – instead of just waiting for your followers to pose questions to you, take the opportunity to ask them questions. Even something as simple as “what’s your favorite product?” can help you gauge the level of interest in different products that you offer, as well as get people interacting with your page.

Value Opinions – when a follower posts a suggestion on your Facebook wall, or Tweets you something that they would like to see your company offer, take the time to give the suggestion serious consideration. If customers see that when they suggest something, that actual changes are sometimes made, they are more likely to feel like they are being heard, and that their opinion is valuable.

Ask for Feedback – ask your customers to post their most recent purchases (of goods or services) and how they liked it, how they used it, etc. This is a somewhat sneaky way to gather information about what products or services are the most popular with your customers, and if you’re giving your customers what they want.  It also makes them feel like you care about what their buying experience was like.

Using social media can be immensely helpful to a business. Just make sure that you are keeping your customers involved, so that they feel like they are being heard.

Megan Totka is the Chief Editor for ChamberofCommerce.com. She specializes on the topic of small business tips and resources. ChamberofCommerce.com helps small businesses grow their business on the web and facilitates connectivity between local businesses and more than 7,000 Chambers of Commerce worldwide.