A quick Google search or a peek at Twitter will show a lot of people are already talking about your company. This leads to the big, “Now what?” question. I’m a big believer that we’re all blogging, tweeting, and commenting because we want to have discussions and that we expect companies to participate. The worst thing you could do is nothing at all.
What to do:
- Find the conversation. By setting up a few simple blog and Twitter searches, someone on your staff can keep an eye on the online conversation about you in just a few minutes a day. Soon, you’ll discover who your biggest fans are as well as any issues you should be addressing.
- Say thanks. This is the most basic, simple thing you could do to join a conversation. It takes almost no time and you’ll be amazed at how happy it makes your talkers. Starting today, initiate a “thank you” program. Good things will happen, trust me.
- Fix problems. Right now, someone is complaining about one of your products. Consider it an opportunity to create some fantastic word of mouth by fixing the issue.
- Jump in. Even if the conversation isn’t directly about your brand, it’s OK to join in and add input to issues and discussions related to your industry. You’ve got some fantastic insight and the vast majority of the social media world would love to hear your frequent, genuine, and humble thoughts.