The best social interactions create a dialogue that isn’t forced

When it comes to social media it isn’t about what you want to say but instead it is what your social network wants to hear. Listening is key. The dialogue has to be real and not forced. Here’s a great example. I was out to dinner with my husband (@deanhopkins) at Ztejas when he checked in on Foursquare and posted to his twitter account this message “Ztejas – if you blend & pour them we will come.” Within minutes he got a RT from Ztejas saying “That’s all it takes to get you back?” The quick response and the quirky interaction definitely made an impression on him (and I guess on me since I’m blogging on it now.) This interaction could only take place because they were listening and interacting with the customers. It wasn’t about a canned message or a sales pitch and the impact was much greater.
Key tips to make your social media more effective:
– know your customers – who are they and what do they want to hear
– listen to your customers
– be natural and interactive in your communications
– be timely and relevant. Don’t let your social channels go stale