From time to time I learn some great marketing lessons from my dog, Shadow.
Every morning at 6:30, like clockwork, Shadow begins this incessant and annoying yipping (very unbecoming of a 95-pound chocolate lab, I might add). He wants us to get up and take him for a walk. At meal times, he does the same thing until we feed him.
If we fail to listen to him, he yips louder. And longer. And if we fail to listen, the consequences could be…messy.
When it comes to business and social media, listening is a very important tool.
Listening is part of a conversation – Social media, whether it be a blog, or a presence on Facebook or Twitter, allows for a dialogue. If I don’t listen to Shadow, I won’t know what he wants…or needs. Same with our customers. If you are selling Product A, but your customers want Product B, you have a problem. Sure you could conduct a lot of expensive reasearch, but before you do, why not listen to your customers via social media? It’s your own personal focus group, available to you 24-7. Make social media an integral part of your R&D process.
If all you do is talk, you’ll never learn anything. Ads don’t listen. Websites don’t listen. But social media gives you your ears.
Listening has hidden benefits – Obviously you can listen to your customers to find out what they want and need, or even what they think about you and your business. But sometimes you might learn things you weren’t even looking for? By listening to Shadow, I am getting healthier. Before he came along, I enjoyed my sedentary lifestyle. But he forces me into a daily 2-mile walk that I would never take on my own. It’s pretty much the only exercise I get. But I’ve lost weight and feel much healthier.
You never know when your customers might tell you something useful, without even knowing it!
Listening makes them happy – When I listen to Shadow and give in to his demands, whether it be putting him outside or feeding him, he ends up very happy. When you listen to your customers, they like it. We all want to be heard. We all want to have a voice. And when we tell someone our opinion, or our wants and needs, it feels great to have that voice heard.
Happy customers become frequent and loyal customers. Happy customers also become your most ardent supporters. That means they will tell others. And there is no more powerful marketing than word of mouth. And word of mouth via social media is amplified.
So tap into your social media community. Ask questions. And then listen. You’ll be glad you did.
You can check out more of Shadow’s marketing expertise in my previous posts:
