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Listening: A Recipe for Success
The challenge of social media (blogs, twitter, Facebook, etc.) is that at first glance it seems like a free and relatively easy way to connect to potential customers, but as Jim Smith at yChange.com explains:
If as a small business you are trying to use social media to get the word out to your customers and prospects about how great your product/service is then you are frankly wasting your time walking down a blind alley. If however, you are using social media to listen to your customer and learn what his/her problem or pain is and what value your business can bring to the table then you are on the right path.
Social media today is for listening. It is not a mike or a megaphone to be used to drown the customer out.
This makes sense. However, you still want to tell your customers about specials at your studio. So what is recipe for the perfect mix of listening and talking?
Online media experts agree that you should have about 6 non-sales posts for every sales-related post. Use the non-sales posts as an opportunity to gather customer feedback or to solve their problems. For example, if I was a studio on Facebook, I’d write:
- What’s your worst photography experience/photo?
- Share your favorite 70′s photograph
- Describe the best photograph you’ve ever taken
- Here’s a photo shoot I just finished. What do you think?
- Click here to see a bunch of funny wedding photographs
- How we make it easy to schedule an appointment – any better ideas?
- How to dress for a portrait sitting
- How to take better snapshots at Christmas / Birthdays / on the beach
After 5-6 posts like this, it is time for a post about a special you’re offering at your studio.
Bottom line: mix a lot of listening with a little sales, sprinkle with humor, and you’ve got a recipe for success.
Tags: social media
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