Take It Offline!
Posted: 4 June 2015 at 2:44 pm | Author: Laura Morris
There is so much hype about social media. How to use it? What do we need to do to get more followers or likes? But what do we do when our social media begins to generate a response?
Now, remember, the response generated can be positive or negative. Many people love to take any opportunity they can to give their opinion, but ultimately, the result is still the same – take the conversation offline!
Social media in its various forms can be fantastic platforms for connecting with people. This includes current clients, potential clients or even new business partners and investors. However it is important to remember that frequently this online activity is just the initial stage in developing an ongoing relationship.
So what do you do if the elicited response is not the one that you had hoped for?
Negativity
The first thing you have to do is acknowledge the response. Ignoring it, deleting, pretending you haven’t seen it will only make things worse! Delaying can also lead to a great chance of bystanders joining in.
There are several things you can post as a response but they key things to consider are that you need to thank the individual for their comment, apologise that they feel the way they do and then make a follow up suggestion. This suggestion could be to ask them to directly message you their contact details to discuss this further as you would love to help resolve the issue. Alternatively you could post an email address for them to respond too. Whichever way you choose to move forward make sure you provide an opportunity for the conversation to continue in a more private environment.
It is also important to note that wherever possible for the last comment made to be by you and preferably on a positive note!
Positivity
There are many positive things that can happen on social media too! It could be someone repeatedly liking or sharing your content, or perhaps a comment to chat further. Repeated positive interactions are a brilliant cue for you to get in touch with the individual. By getting in touch I don’t mean tweet or message them back. Pick up the phone!
Now I understand that not everyone who interacts is going to be a potential client for you. However don’t be narrow-minded about the opportunity. Get in touch and find out what it is about your content they like. Perhaps they are interested in your product or service, or maybe you could work together on a particular project. Until you speak to the person behind the account they will never uncover the opportunity and you could be missing out on potential business!
Don’t let social media consume your precious time. Make the most of the time you spend on your social media platforms by using it to get more business and create a positive brand image.
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