When communicating with customers, one of the most visible channels is social media. However, to use it effectively, you need to know (and follow) best practices. Here are five things to know about posting on social media.
VOICE
Your voice is your unique company personality. It’s consistent and unchanging. Just as you can identify your friend by their laugh, your company voice helps customers identify you. Your voice is consistent, while your tone can change.
If you think of your company as a musical group, your listeners should always be able to identify you by your voice, whether the song you’re singing is fast or slow, upbeat or sad. Things like your branding, taglines, spokespeople and specific vocabulary help solidify your company voice. This voice is what customers expect when they hear from you via any channel.
Whether you are creating a social media post about a grand opening or announcing a new product line, a reader should always know that the communication is from your company.
Some companies always make puns or use playful language in their advertising and marketing. Duluth Trading Company is well known for using irreverent language and images.
To establish your consistent voice, you need to identify what your voice is versus what it isn’t. Think about it this way: if your company was a person, what would they sound like?
Here is an example. If your company/brand voice is “passionate,” “quirky” and “genuine” (you can have multiple adjectives that describe your company voice), here is how you could solidify your voice with some do’s and don’ts:
Genuine
- Be honest and direct; use clear language. Don’t use a lot of jargon or try to aggressively sell.
Quirky
- Use unique, fun ideas or examples; be playful. Don’t use obscure or overly complicated references or language that your audience won’t understand.
Passionate
- Be enthusiastic and confident; use bold verbs and adjectives. Don’t waver or be inconsistent.
Having a consistent voice can be especially important when you use social media for marketing, advertising or selling. When your customer sees you on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter, they should be able to easily recognize your company by your voice.
TONE
Tone is all about attitude and inflection. Think of the phrase “tone of voice.” Your tone could be impacted by the mood you want to convey or the situation. Again, if your company was a musical group, the tone (or song) could be enthusiastic, somber, hopeful or sad. But your voice is always recognizable.
Let’s put tone into action. Say you need to create two different communications: one is a grand opening post on social media, and the other is a post about a plan to reopen after a disaster. Here are some ways you could leverage your quirky voice, with two different tones.
Grand opening post
- Whoop, whoop! Just like a crane, we’re ready to take off in Center City!
Reopening post
- The fog has lifted, and we’re ready for a new day.
EMPATHY IS CRUCIAL
Empathy is the ability to imagine the thoughts and feelings of another person. When selling, this is an extremely important skill, and in communication, it’s also critical.
Think about where your customer is right now … what are they thinking and feeling? Do they need to purchase basic items? Are they on a budget? Are they time-constrained? If that’s the case, it doesn’t make sense to tout the features of the fanciest, most luxurious and expensive model you have in the store. Meet your customers where they are. It will help build trust and credibility—you’re showing that you value your customers, understand their needs, and want to help.
SOCIAL MEDIA IS A FLUID CHANNEL: WHAT TO DO
One great thing about social media is that it’s fluid. Many channels, like print, broadcast and POP, can take a long time to update and produce. A faster way to communicate quickly is on social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Here are a few things to consider as you plan your customer communications.
Be honest, transparent and clear
- Customers want and appreciate open, honest communication. Share what you know and try to be as clear as possible.
Be available
- If a customer contacts you via social media, be responsive. They may have questions or just need support. If you don’t offer what a customer needs, be willing to offer suggestions or introductions.
Be creative
- Consider ways you could offer unique support and services to your customers—things like financing or promotional offers, or helpful pickup or delivery options. These could be quick wins for both you and your customers.
SOCIAL MEDIA IS A FLUID CHANNEL:
WHAT NOT TO DO
While social media gives you an immediate vehicle for messaging to customers, remember that this can be a double-edged sword. Social media is real time, so there are a few things to consider before you rush to post.
- Don’t abandon your company voice. If you are known as the low-price leader, or for having quirky language, stay consistent. Just make sure your tone is appropriate and not over the top.
- Don’t stop promoting and marketing. Keep an ongoing dialog that’s focused on what your customers want and need most.
- Don’t be too pushy or aggressive with your marketing tactics. Your tone should always be helpful, friendly and considerate.