Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Tip #147: Embrace Social Media Conversations

If you’re on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media platform, this week’s tip is to embrace the conversations that arise out of those avenues.

Did someone comment on your photo? Did they share a post or Tweet on your wall? Take a moment to respond to all posts that are directed at your business and do your best to do so in a timely fashion. Your customers are paying close attention to your response time and if you are responding at all. Many users view your response (or lack of) as representative of your care for them as a customer so it’s imperative that they know you appreciate their business. One study found that 42% of consumers expect a social media response within 60 minutes, while 25% were satisfied if it was more than one hour but later the same day.

Of course we understand that most candy makers aren’t able to have a staff member dedicated only to social media. Therefore, we suggest you take advantage of the alerts within the social media platforms. For example, you can receive an email alert any time you are tagged or mentioned on Facebook, Twitter, etc. so that you don’t miss out on the conversation. If a quick response means gained customer satisfaction, then those extra emails will be worth it!

P.S. Don’t forget to make a plan to promote your business on Small Business Saturday next month! Check out last year’s blog post of ideas to help with your planning.