Brands that think they “get” social media like to show off their Twitter and Facebook badges on their websites and maybe even mention those social networks in print or on the radio. They like to say they engage by giving shout-outs to people who talk about how much they like the brand. And that’s a start. But if a customer expresses a legitimate gripe or helpful suggestion about your brand via Twitter, and you’re not responding to it within minutes, hours or at most one business day, I’ve got news: that’s not engaging. In fact, that’s more like telling your customer, “We want you to pay attention to us, but we don’t want to hear about your problems, even if we can fix them.”
You have to give as much (preferably more) as you take. Don’t run and hide when someone says something negative; start a conversation instead. (I won’t point fingers, but I’ve had these experiences and maybe you have too.)
Some companies are concerned about joining Twitter; they think they’ll spend all day responding to tweets. Southwest Airlines, for example, has a dedicated tweeter (among a 75-person communications department) to converse with the carrier’s 20,000-plus followers. Few companies can afford a full-time staff to respond to every whimsy of 20,000 fans, but thankfully not everyone has to. For most it’s simple: Monitor your brand mentions, and respond to the most interesting ones, whether they are positive or negative.
It doesn’t take an army to show your customers you’re with them in good times and bad. And the appreciation your customers will show is priceless.