Put on your Listening Ears: Week 3 Discussion

Put on your Listening Ears: 

Defining a social media strategy which creates positive influence.

Social media platforms have become the go to arena for various publics to share thoughts, opinions, and overall satisfaction on a variety of subjects from politics to products. According to the Pew ResearchCenter 74% of American adults that use the internet are engaged in social networking sites (2014) which demonstrates the reach and influence that social media content can have on public perceptions and for that matter brand image.

Each day organizations have the privilege to actively engage in two way communications with their publics. Let’s be clear that engaging in two way conversations does not refer to both parties only partaking in the act of sending information but a cycle in which listening, understanding, and mutually satisfactory action occurs; I’m listening, I hear, I understand, Action (Solis, 2011, p. 160). As an exercise in how a company might embrace this cycle let’s look at a scenario in which a product has been launched within out a predetermined social media strategy.

Scenario:  You are the social media head of a new men’s razor that was launched 2 weeks ago all around the USA. The Vice President of Communication noticed several negative comments on the social Web as well as dozens of unanswered positive comments throughout the social Web but specifically when typing in Google the word Razor or new men’s products. The VP realizes that action is required in order to better listen and respond to customers who bought or are planning on buying the new razor.

This example of being reactionary is far too common and a communications strategy, which includes social media, should have been developed before product launch but that’s water under the bridge in this example so let’s  lay out a few steps that the social media head can take to reestablish the two way communication cycle.

Get the Band Together: To get the cycle of communications started a dedicated team should be assigned to the task. This team can focus their efforts on not only the tactical portions of the plan but understand the larger strategic goals in which the communications effort influences.  In addition once social communities are engaged there is no off switch, the level of effort that is place at the beginning needs to be carried though until the strategic goals are met and various publics communications indicate and overall satisfaction with the product and level of service. The team should also take this opportunity to gather existing communications and incorporate a tactical response into the go-forward plan.

Provide a focal point: Since in this example the consumer communication that was discovered by the VP of Communications was in a variety of locations on the web it could be a difficult task to reach and listen to each of the various publics providing limited effectiveness therefore the next action should be to create a funnel point for the various communications. This can be done through product focused pages on the company’s website, social media outlets, or open invitations through forums such as Twitter.  This centralized conduit now allows the organization a platform to reach out to existing and new customers with the opportunity to use search engine optimization techniques to guide consumers when using search engines. These centralized communication points now allow for consumers to feel that they have a vehicle in which they can be heard by the company leading to higher customer satisfaction.

As Captain Picard would say; Engage!: Now that the team has been formed, existing communications have been gathered, communication touch points created , and active listening has been conducted  it’s now time to act. This is where the rubber meets the road and credibility is built. Responding directly to consumers through not only words but actions will allow for a connection beyond just a transaction (Kerpen, 2011). Active acknowledgement to communication, both positive and negative, will build not only product popularity but customer based brand equity leading to future successes (Keller, 2008, p. 48).

The bottom line is that organizations faced with such a challenge need to dedicate resources, create consumer access, actively listen and engage with credible actions.  These steps will bridge the gap between company and consumer ever strengthening the company’s brand image.

Now it’s my turn to listen to you, lets here your thoughts!

References:

Pew Research Center. (September, 2014). Social Networking Fact Sheet.  Retrieved on January 5, 2014 from http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/social-networking-fact-sheet/

Keller, K. (2008). Strategic Brand Management: building, measuring, and managing brand equity. 3^rd  ed. Prentice Hall. Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Kerpen, D. (2011). Likeable social media: How to delight your customers, create an 
irresistible brand, and be generally amazing on Facebook (& other social networks). McGraw-Hill. New York.

Solis, B. (2011). Engage! The complete guide for brands and businesses to build, cultivate and measure successs in the new web (Updated and Revised). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Hoboken, NJ.