If You're Not, You Should Be
With Social Media use being as prevalent because it is in today's business world you'd be crazy not to listen to your customers. Not merely does social media allow it to be easier for you to listen, it gives your web visitors and competitors with a number of outlets to spread their message Katiana Kay. As you right now are most likely aware, social networks can be quite a double edge sword. They're a good way for business to have their message out, yet all it might take is one irate customer airing out their issues on Facebook to ruin your entire day and impact your bottom line. So I ask again, are you listening?
Why You Should Be Listening.
One of the features of monitoring your social media presence is the capability to gauge the effectiveness of your company's online presence. Are you getting the penetration you expect, have you got a broader "reach" than you hoped and are people generally satisfied with your product? If you're listening you'll know the answers to these and a number of other questions. The secret will be asking the right questions when you listen for the answers. That all ties into you the overall goals and objectives you should have set when you launched any social media presence.
One of the greatest ways to apply social media monitoring or listening would be to listen for customer service opportunities. Look at every customer comment as a present, because that's what it really is. It's your window into what your web visitors are thinking and saying about your product or service. Do not squander this possibility to respond or achieve this at your personal peril.
You need to use these "gifts" to;
Avoid A Crisis
If you're monitoring your brand you get the chance to spot issues before they develop into a crisis. Handling issues because they show up, in real-time can prevent an important crisis or PR nightmare.
Boost Sales
Something you may be listening for is the ability to enhance your product or service. Comments from customers, solicited or otherwise, provides insight and opportunities for new product offerings and potential new product features. You could even discover new uses for the product or services which may give you another avenue to market you're offering.
Build Relationships
One step beyond hearing your web visitors would be to respond to, and interact with, them. Use your social networks not merely to answer questions but to inquire further as well. Solicit feedback as opposed to being a passive listener. Ask you customers the most effective 5 things they like about your product. Or better yet ask then the top 5 things they DON'T like about your product and then engage them in conversation online about those very issues.
Get A Leg Up On The Competition
While you may well be active listening to what customers are saying about your product, you should also be listening to what people are saying about your competitors. Listening to what people are saying about your competitors' products is the perfect possibility to fill a need your competitors cannot.
How Should I Listen?
You will find a number of tools (most likely 100's by the full time you read this) that will help you monitor your social media presence. For the present time let's go with the basic's
Google Alerts
This is a simple solution to monitor your company mentions through keywords. Google Alerts are email updates of the most recent relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) centered on your choice of query or topic.
HootSuite
HootSuite offers premium social media monitoring tools to greatly help enterprises maximize the reach and efficiency of social media outreach and listening efforts.
TweetDeck
Tweetdeck unifies Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and MySpace to give you a convenient way to use and monitor social media.
Radian 6
Radian6's social media monitoring software helps businesses listen, discover, measure and engage in conversations across the social web. Their Analysis Dashboard enables you to seek out all conversations surrounding your brand on the social web.
When Should I Listen?
Clearly you ought to listen 24/7. Your customers don't post on Facebook between 9-5 why in case you limit your hearing 9-5. We reside in a 24 hour online world like it or not. It's no more acceptable to state, "I'll get compared to that when I have time" ;.If one of your web visitors posts an angry comment and some individuals hop on board and start posting negative comments as well, by the "time you can it" it might have gone viral and done a lot of damage to your reputation. Don't forget, you're in the reputation management business now. Whether you respond in an appropriate manner is obviously your choice. It's also your customer's choice to carry on to pummel your brand as you sleep. It's your call.