Social media monitoring. More than the latest buzz, social media listening is becoming a must-have component of any marketing strategy. Here are the 4 C’s of social medial listening that will start you down the right path to loyal, raving clients:

#1 Complaints

Not only are complaints read—and discussed—from Peoria to Pakistan, they also travel at the speed of a mouse click. How do you deal with complaining clients? Quite simply, if it’s a problem you can fix, fix it. You won’t be able to take your sweet time formulating a response either, as Johnson & Johnson discovered in 2008. An online Motrin ad that appeared on a Saturday angered the ultimate in online influencers, moms, who flooded Twitter with thousands of complaints. By Monday, the company was compelled to issue an apology.

#2 Compliments

Ah, you received a compliment! You’ve got this reputation management thing down to a science, right? Not so fast. When online listening reveals a raving customer, you don’t get to pat yourself on the back. Instead, work to find ways to ensure every client gets the same experience.

#3 Competitors

Forget Spy vs. Spy. Too many companies overlook social media as a much easier way to collect competitive intelligence. Social media monitoring services can help answer questions, including:

• What do they do better than we do?
• What sales channels work for them?

#4 Customers

The conversation with your customer. It’s the idea at the heart of social media, and, by definition, part of having an effective conversation is listening. Not sure what you’re listening for? Check out Brandon Gutman’s list of online listening steps. Not only does the ability to listen allow you to hear conversations, it allows you to find online influencers and in turn generate new leads. For example, you may find that high school kids are raving about your new offering instead of the college crowd you’ve been courting.

Social media can be a smart part of your marketing strategy. Listen, learn and engage, today.