The New York Times published a piece this week detailing the social media strategy of General Motors, and the steps they have taken to gain the trust of their customers after some tragic PR blunders. The company has begun to take advantage of Twitter as a way to get directly in touch with their consumers, and have received positive results. Not only has G.M. been establishing genuine relationships with their with customers, but those relationships have been reciprocal; the majority of mentions they have received on Twitter are either neutral or positive, with only 3% negative. G.M. is just one example of a brand finding a consumer connection on Twitter. If you’re looking for a way to form a better relationship with your consumer, Twitter may be the right social media tool for you. Here are some ways you can use Twitter to your advantage:
Connect with the Consumer
Twitter allows you to get directly in touch with consumer, and allows them to express their praise and concerns. You can get a direct opinion from an interested party, one that is offered willingly. If your consumer has an issue, they don’t have to call a hotline and wait on hold forever; rather, they can reach out to the brand directly and deliver a specific message on what they would like to see improved. This can create truthful and interactive messaging with your consumer, which is popular in marketing today.
Have Multiple, Targeted Accounts
Popular enterprise-level brands like Nike have support Twitter accounts along with their main Twitter account, in order to give their customers another outlet to reach out to. This way, complaints are not visible on the main page that sells the brand; it has its own place specifically for that purpose. This dedicated account also helps customer support specialists zero in on messages that are relevant to them, rather than having to sift through a massive Twitter feed. It shows your customers that you want to listen and help them, and makes you a more reliable brand. Separate accounts don’t end with customer support; regional or local brand branches, different service sectors, fan clubs – there are tons of ways to segment your audience and offer relevant content and interaction.
Join in on the Dialogue
Twitter is a great way for brands to deliver accurate and on-brand information to their consumers. Twitter allows you to have a very personal conversation in a public form- and that can be a good thing. If you and a consumer engage in dialogue on how to resolve an issue, other Twitter users can see it and may fix their problem as well. No matter how big the brand, your consumer never wants to feel like you’re too busy for them, so make the time to communicate and reach out.
Get Creative
Brands have started getting creative with Twitter marketing, and have walked away with good press and an astronomical amount of reweets. Esurance used their Superbowl budget on a cash prize for a lucky Twitter user who tweeted #esurchance30, resulting in 4.5 million retweets in 24 hours. Domino’s Pizza in the UK promised that they would take £0.01 off their most popular lunchtime pizza every time someone retweeted #letsdolunch, bringing the large pepperoni pizza from £15.99 to £7.74 in just one day, gaining awareness and encouraging interaction. Twitter is a great platform to be innovative and try something new- it’s what your followers are looking for!
Do you want advice on how to manage a Twitter account or create a unique social media campaign? Check out our services on PR and Social Media!
