Businesses often aren’t sure how to engage customers on Facebook and Twitter. What can you say to compete with the latest lolcat or pictures from the party showing up in the news feed next to your post? Every business has a different voice, different audience, and different mission, so it’s hard to recommend just one strategy. Here are some basic tips for retaining and entertaining fans.
Listen.
See what your customers are saying. What are they talking about? How are they talking about it? What terminology are they using? What do they like or dislike most? These are the subjects upon which your posts and tweets should focus.
Join the existing conversation.
Customers are already talking about your industry – possibly even your brand. They want to tell you how to make your service or product better. Ask them questions about topics already being discussed, and give them an opportunity to develop a dialog with you. Find them on other message boards, forums, and fan pages and invite them to become a fan or follower so they can share their wisdom.
Stay true.
In every interaction with a customer, whether it’s an email, phone call, blog post, tweet, or Facebook post, maintain your voice. If you are a doctor, people expect you to be serious so they can trust you with their health. The same goes for bankers. If your key audience wants to have fun, have it with them.
