Can you hear these voices?
Brand: “Hey, social customer, I can hear you when you talk about me, my competitors and my product category. Even when you are considering my competitors for a demo, why don’t I pitch you my service? You might as well check out one more…”
Social customer: “Oh no… Creepy brand is stalking me again! [runs away]”
Social media listening gives brands an unprecedented opportunity to listen to their customers and understand what they are saying, so they can make better customer experience decisions. That’s why we have products like Attensity360, Attensity Analyze, and another soon-to-be released product (OMG, we are so excited!). However, if listening and analysis is a science, engagement is an art. Once you hear someone say something, do you collect it as another piece of feedback, or do you reach out and say something? In order to respond without appearing creepy, you need to think about what you are doing, who the customer is and what the circumstances are. In short:
- When people talk to you or about you (also known as inbound social media), you should definitely respond. It’s not creepy.
- When your competitors’ customers talk about how they love your competitors, it’s not appropriate to sell them anything. They are happy, and they don’t have a pain point. They will look at you as an interruption and a nuisance, and will tell their friends about how creepy you are. There goes your reputation!
- When people are talking about pain points that you can resolve, it’s OK to engage. Just don’t be creepy or spammy. Don’t sell them your stuff right off the bat, but rather help them solve their problem. Remember that there must be a stated need.
- When your competitors’ customers are not happy, and have stated the need to move on, it’s OK to approach them. Again, consider the circumstance and the stated need.
- Of course, if you have a personal relationship with someone, that will always help you navigate engagement.
Check out the video I created. Have fun, and don’t be creepy!
