If Customers Don’t Find You On Social Media…They’ll Find Your Competitors

Did you know your customers are looking to talk to you right now? At this very moment they’re searching around the Internet trying to find the quickest way to have a chat with their favorite brand: you. The only problem is you’re not exactly making it easy for them.

There are so many options and routes out there for customers to take, most of them social media websites and services. It’s quickly becoming the first thing people do: Google “Facebook or Twitter +your company name” to get your information or discuss a problem with you. If you haven’t set these services up, then they may give up on you in favor of a competitor who’s easier to get in touch with.

Expand Your Network

Of course most of you out there have a Twitter or at least a Facebook page. Most businesses have learned over the years these two sites provide a ton of benefits both to customer service and sales. Facebook alone has the power to open your company to millions of people around the world in no time flat.

However, those two websites aren’t the whole story. There are dozens of social media websites out there, all with their own databases of users who are waiting to hear from you. If you’re not expanding your network to include these sites you’re likely missing out on potential sales.

For example, Google Plus has become a giant in the world of small business PR and connectivity to customers. Companies have found a myriad of ways to interact with the public including the Google Hangout feature, which allows business reps to talk directly to users on a live chat.

Another big social media site is Pinterest. While the strictly image-based nature of the site may limit use, those with some creativity can make it work for them. If you can pull it off Pinterest is a great way to bring your customers into your worldview so you have more in common. This makes them stick around longer as they feel connected to your company.

Not Every Plan Will Work

As mentioned there are a ton of social media sites out there. Most of them are very niche, with specific interests like movies, music, regional interests, or even vampires! Naturally not all of these sites will work for your company, as their users won’t identify with what you’re selling or saying.

This also goes for the major social media sites like Twitter, LinkedIn and so on. Not every one of these sites will work for your business. The users may just not care to interact with you in that way. For example, if you’re running a financial based business, uploading pictures on Pinterest probably won’t work too well.

However, you don’t know until you try each one out! You may be totally surprised that your customers love the pictures of money you’ve uploaded to Pinterest and want to talk to you more. You never can tell when the public will latch on to something so the only person you’re hurting by not trying is yourself. Expand your network and try some new services to see which ones your customers flock to.