If you’re a business owner, there are tons of ways that you can use modern technology to make running your business easier. Especially with the ubiquity of the Internet, it’s now so easy to get customers or clients from all over the world and keep in contact with them on a very regular basis. However, if you’re not used to this type of communication, or if you’re struggling to find ways that you can move beyond just a surface-level relationship, you might not know where to start or what pieces of technology to use for your advantage. So to help point you in the right direction, here are three ways you can use social media to help you build better relationships with your clients.
Be Quick To Respond
While social media can make it easier for you to better content with your clients or customers, it can also be something that creates alienation within your relationships if you’re not careful. One way this alienation can manifest is if you’re not as responsive as your clients think you should be when they reach out to you via social media. According to Dominique Jackson, a contributor to Sprout Social, you should try to respond to all contact on social media in less than four hours. But if you run a company where your clients need immediate help, like a property management company, you should try to have even faster response times whenever possible.
Create An Online Community
To really move beyond just a basic business-client relationship, you have to make it easy for your clients to see you as more than just a basic business. One way you can use social media to do this, according to Mike Templeman, a contributor to Forbes.com, is to create an online community with your followers. You can either do this literally, like by creating a Facebook community page, or figuratively. If you do choose to create a figurative online community with your followers, try to post or share things that relevant to their lives or helpful in some way without being promotional.
Express Gratitude For Positive Interactions
Social media can be a great way for your clients to get to know you on a more personal level. Today, many people love to reach out to businesses through social media in order to get their thoughts heard or share something that’s important to them. If and when this happens with your clients, Keith Quesenberry, a contributor to Social Media Examiner, recommends that you express your gratitude for their comments or give them a shout out to show that you hear them and are grateful for their positive participation with your business.
If you want to build better relationships with your clients via social media, consider using the tips mentioned above to show you how you can do just that.