Interaction is key for businesses that want to use social media to its full potential. I was walking through an art gallery today and came across this beautiful piece of aboriginal art, when it reminded me...we are inherently social and community orientated beings. Just like the circular communities shown in the paint, our world and our lives are full of these vibrant communities. However, too often I am finding that businesses are not treating their customers on social media like they would their friends in an off-line situation. The fact is, is that only 31% of consumers believe that a company has the right to market to them. Therefore just pushing sales messages out, without interaction, is suicide.
Moreover you have to be "likable". As the saying goes, "people buy from people they like", and it is no different online or on social media for that fact. You have to create a likable brand with personality, and interaction and engagement is the crux of creating this. The only way campaigns can work is if you build trust and reciprocity. Remember, you are dealing with real people with real emotions; not merely a number. Furthermore, you cannot force people to buy anything.
Trust is an integral part of any relationship. And as you know, it is something that takes time and hard work. However, when you can gain trust from someone, it can be extremely rewarding. The same principle applies when you are talking with customers on social media. Communication channels and trust needs to be established before you can market anything.
You can gain trust by giving away content, being genuinely interactive and interested in your customers, asking questions, or facilitating topics of conversation that are related to you brand, but done in a way that is indirect. Building trust, and offering free content for instance, will pay dividends in the long run.
Not only does great content and value build trust, but it also increases what psychologists call “reciprocity”. Have you ever heard, the more you give the more you will receive? This describes this psychology and is exactly what business need to be thinking about when entering an online relationship with customers. However, not many businesses are actively interacting. In fact, most do the opposite
Dunkin Donuts' Facebook Page does a really great job of interaction. They are definitely a company to watch and learn from. As a result of actively engaging with their fans, they have increased their brand awareness, received new customers and raving fans, and if they manage it correctly and have the right systems in place they will get a return on their investment. Not bad? Plus you will also notice that fans stick up for the company when someone posts a negative, engaged fans are there to rescue your brand.