Social media buzz is about the voice—the voice of the customer (VOC). No, this voice isn’t of that demon-like woman who berated you for screwing up her order during your stint as a high-school fast food jockey.
This is the collective voice of potential and current customers broadcast for the World Wide Web to hear. But if you’re new to the world of online influencers and reputation management, it can be hard to figure out how to turn that voice into revenue-producing, relationship-extending action. Here are some of the common problems that drown out your customers’ voices.
Problem #1
The only voice I hear is my boss telling me to tap into the customer’s voice. I have no clue where to start!
Solution
Do your homework. Start by reading business or trade journals. Also log on to social networking sites to find out how competitors are using social media. To learn more about online listening, check out Inc.’s Social Media Toolkit. Once you have the basics down, you can start putting a strategy together.
Problem #2
I’m having a tough time getting my senior managers on board with a social media monitoring campaign. How can I convey the value?
Solution
It’s easy to get mired in a corporate culture that says, “That’s the way we’ve always done it.” But that is no excuse for ignoring the social media landscape. After all, even if you’re not accessing the voice of the customer, your competition is.
A social media monitoring and online strategy service such as Social Strategy1 offers a no-obligation and risk-free assessment of your online reputation. They’ll also provide you with an action plan to guide you through the decision-making process. Hard numbers and professional recommendations may make it easier for resistant executives or managers to see the value of social monitoring.
Problem #3
We’ve starting to pull in mounds of customer data—now what do I do with it?
Solution
A good first step is remind yourself of what you’re trying to achieve in the first place. If you have a social media strategic plan, dust it off and review the objectives. No strategic plan you say? It’s not too late to make one. By investing time in identifying the program’s goals, you can analyze the data and start to draw conclusions about where to spend your time and resources.
Social media is too important to ignore, so don’t let the challenges get in the way. Start by contacting Social Strategy1 for your consultation today.