Communities. Every company wants one, and everyone wants to belong to one. Some try too hard; some don’t do a darn thing. Developing a loyal fan base can take years of goodwill and trust. You want the consumer base to think positively and proudly declare allegiance to you, ideally without incentive. That’s why communities are integral to a company’s success. One way to get consumers to buy into your community is through appreciation, and social media is by far the best avenue to exude the sincerity you wish to show. Let’s get started on a few points.
Engage
Social media doesn’t consist of a relationship where you sit in your ivory tower expecting engagement and followers. You earn admiration and provide worth. You do both by taking the elevator down to the ground level and interacting with your consumer base. Find articles relevant to your audience’s interest to validate your consumers’ choice of following. Have the audience interact with like-minded chums.
Be Human
This is social media. There are actual humans typing up these posts full of likes, dislikes, passions, and quirks. No one wants a press release disguised as a tweet. That’s boring, safe, and unexciting. Above all, it’s expected. Carefully scripted words work for journalists and shareholders. On social media, you’re a team of humans not a brand because you interact with the public.
Adopt Weird Uses of Your Product
Is there some odd trend your users adopt with your product? Is a nursery school using your wallpaper stain remover to create cheap Christmas ornaments? Congrats, you just invented Play Doh. The age of social media and user-generated content makes it so that you can foresee creative and amusing applications of your product. Any out-of-leftfield nuance to the product intrigues, but a company amplifying the message ensures it reaches masses. Think of your brand sharing the odd application as lighter fluid to a fire. That flame then engulfs more space and draws more eyeballs to the sudden bloom of blaze.
Own the Praise
It’s easy to devolve into a pit of customer service on social media. Your social media platforms are a direct line to the company. We all know from experience we’re more likely to express negativity than positivity. That’s why you should dedicate time to the positive comments between the disgruntled and angry. They took time out of their day and life to leave a nice comment.
Take it a step further. You should mix the passive with the active. A like is a nice gesture and acknowledgement of praise, but sentences expressing your appreciation and gratitude put a bigger smile on the receiver’s face. Of course, these responses should be nothing to the point of fabrication and line-crossing infatuation. Unless adopting an overzealous and affectionate tone to entertain the audience stands as a social media objective.
As Philosopher William James notes, “the deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.” We like validation, acceptance, and acknowledgement. Companies can help nurture that desire and develop meaningful communities because of it. For more ways to boost your social media worth, articles of ours like “5 Social Media Engagement Tips” and “Engagement is a Two Way Street” can assist your online presence.
Via
http://www.cracked.com/article_19644_the-5-most-insane-original-uses-famous-products.html
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2011/11/play-doh-was-originally-wallpaper-cleaner/
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/w/williamjam125466.html