Brands Not Using Social Media Create Communication Language Barriers with Customers

Have you ever tried to get somewhere in a car, on a bike or on foot and you find yourself constantly running run into roadblocks and detours? Chances are the roadblocks and detours made you feel quite frustrated. This is because there are barriers stopping you from getting to your destination of choice.

Many brands are doing this same thing to their customers, audience and community today. Brands who are not using social media are putting up virtual language barriers stopping their most precious customers and audience from communicating with them.

If you are a business owner or business professional would you ignore your customer if they called you? What about if they walked through the front door of your business? Would you ignore their actions if they went all around town posting up signs telling people how terrible or great your business is?

Brands are ignoring their customers who are doing these things today. Their paying customers and fans are communicating with them via Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Blogs, FourSquare, and the list goes on. However, many brands are sticking up their virtual hand and saying “sorry Mr Customer, I am too busy to talk to you the way you want to talk to me.”

Your mission as a brand leader in the world of online and digital marketing is to simply figure out where your customer is hanging out online and be sure you are ready to have the most relevant conversation with them. You need to speak to them, communicate with them and most importantly serve them where, when and how they choose. It's no longer on your terms.

As much as brands may want to control the message, the truth is they can not. Your brand is the customer experience you deliver. Your brand is your reputation. Your brand is how you treat your customers online, offline and behind closed doors. The truth is these doors are opening and all of these channels are becoming more blended, more transparent. Brands can simply no longer hide behind a barrier and expect to be in business in one, two or three years.

Take a listen to the 115th episode of the Social Zoom Factor podcast for a deep dive into this topic and hear case studies about brands that are putting up barriers and brands that are tearing them down and making the decision to be human, own their mistakes and put relationships and long term customer value and loyalty first. Brands covered include Fitbit, CBS UnderCover Boss Reality Show, Delta Airlines, United Airlines, Gold's Gym, HostGator, and Panera Bread.

Take a listen and be sure to subscribe to the entire series on iTunes, Stitcher or SoundCloud!

In this 30 minute podcast you will learn: 

• Explore if you are creating language barriers by ignoring social media channels
• How 8 big brands are utilizing social to open communication doors or create barriers
• The importance of communicating with your customers where, when and how they want to communicate with you
• Why brands can no longer hide
• How social media can help brands improve customer satisfaction
• The importance of a consistent customer service experience across communication channels such as phone, email, in person and social media

Supporting Resources:

• 15 Tips to Zoom Your Brand (white paper)
• How to Smile Virtually at Your Customer -Delta Airlines Case Study (episode 71)
• Surprise and Delight Customers to Earn Brand Loyalty: Delta Airlines Case Study (episode 69)
• CBS UnderCover Boss – Ignoring Fans (episode 89)
• Customer Experience Is Your Brand (episode 106)
• Band Humanization in a Nutshell (episode 5)
• Brand Humanization: Social Media Authenticity vs Transparency (episode 16)
• Digital Body Language: 105 Factors Impacting Your Personal and Business Brand (white paper)
• Personal Branding in a Nutshell (episode 11)
• 15 Characteristics of Human Brands (episode 55)
• Free Webinars & Training: You are the Media – Building Your Media Foundation

How to Subscribe to Social Zoom Factor Podcast 

•  iTunes
• Stitcher
• SoundCloud