No matter whether You are Activating in a B2B or a B2C Field, you should know that your Customers are more and more Demanding and that their Expectations are Rising Year by Year. What they are after is a Complete Online and Offline Experience, which Accompanies them from the Brand’s Pre-Sale Strategy to the Actual Purchase and, later, the Post-Sale Period. Having a Great Product is Not Enough; you need to Cater to your Customers’ Needs, Walk them Through the Buying Process, Answer their Questions and Complaints. This is where Social Media comes in. Today, just being Online and Posting is not enough, you need to Turn Channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, Google +, Pinterest etc. into your Customer Service Tools.
To do so, you must Firstly Understand what each Social Media Network is Suitable for and which is More Popular with your Customers. For example, Linkedin has an Audience of Professionals, which makes it Good for B2B Businesses, while Pinterest and Instagram are very Visual and are Suitable for Audiences which are more into Aesthetics, Architecture, Photography, Design, Fashion etc. What you or your Social Media Marketing Professional need to do is see where your Customers are and Approach them there.
Social Media Marketing is not only about Talking, you need to Listen, as well. Good Customer Service is Proactive, which means that you need to Understand your Consumers and Find Out their Interests before they come to you. Monitor your Company’s Feedback and try to keep in touch with the People which are Representative for your Business, see What kind of Products they Use, how they feel about them, find out which are their Interests, Values, Causes and the Brands they like. Use this Information to Create Compelling Strategies which Capture your Audience’s Attention and has People Engaging with You.
An Important Part of Your Strategy should be Talking to your Customers and Answering their Questions and Potential Complaints. If your Business is a small one, Replying to everyone is an Attainable Objective, but, as your Company Grows, this becomes more difficult. The more your Customers Engage with you, the Harder it is to Keep Up with Them, so Prioritizing is a must. Complaints, Issues with the Products they Bought, Maintenance, Service and Product Information Requests should be Handled First. Afterwards, Brands should always Thank People who Mention their Products and Services and Acknowledge their Help in Growing their Awareness.
When you Answer People, try to always be Prompt, as the more Serious the Situation is, the Sooner People want an Answer. Moreover, you should Always Be Polite. Even though Social Media Marketing is all about Building an Informal Relationship with your Customers, you will always Need to Follow the Same Customer Service Principles that You Apply in Real Life.