Do you ever pop next door for a cup of sugar or to borrow a memory stick or spare mouse? I have shared two of those items and had them returned within the past 18 months, the item I didn’t share maybe my neighbour got in a car and drove to buy who knows. The relevance of community is important both online and offline and never should the two be separated.
With social media predictions for 2011 disappearing it’s worth looking now at what’s important not to you but your customer, client or contact. The next big thing can be sorted out by those working on it naturally not those desperate to find it, when it comes along you can and will use it though. Adding value and awareness to your network or community by delivering a personal service doesn’t mean you will be glued to your keyboard 24/7 but it does mean you will have a stronger community because you listen.
Twitter is seen to deliver the parts of conversation we once had over the garden fence not too long and not too short but not needing to be whole sagas, people enjoy and need to communicate with each other. In society today we are often on our own and this is where technology adds the benefit of being effective in connecting us to the people we want to talk to.
Communicating and talking doesn’t just mean telling everyone you walked the dog or came through the door, we never used to do that when we met people in the street by saying ‘I just came off the train and here I am in front of you.’ So why do it now, why not use the technology that’s available to add conversations where a few years ago it wasn’t possible or where you had to send a fax, letter or make a phone call.
Social media is changing the way we communicate simply through the technology we use, the most important aspect of communication has and will always be people. Don’t be convinced by someone that they can re-market talking they can simply give you the tips and techniques to make it effective.
Through Facebook, Linked In, Twitter and many other online platforms we have the opportunity to reach communities and networks to engage with future and existing customers. This doesn’t mean the end of print; it does mean you can spend less on printed marketing as you are better able to define who you may want to send printed information to. This could be local or global, why should a small independent retail shop in a small town simply sell to the public of that town? They can do this for the benefit of the people within the town but also for those outside travelling distance they can provide a global sales service. The Ecommerce may actually underwrite the retail outlet and make it possible to provide both.
This positive approach to independent retailing may not save every business but it is something that many businesses should look at. It also delivers the importance of a personal service whether that’s answering a mention on Twitter, responding to a comment on Facebook or simply delivering something through the postal network that was purchased online.
The people we are connected with on a daily basis are all in some way or another going to be online within the day, by building a strategy with a schedule and policy for social media we can all engage and strengthen the relationships we already have by using the technology available. It takes patience but relationships are not as easy as simply clicking connect, follow or like. Always remember its people that are important not numbers or technology, because those people you engage with will engage with other people.
