Before I step on stage for a presentation, I secret shop profiles from attendees in the room. One of the things I’m looking for is how engaged their audience is with their content. More often than not, it’s a one-way conversation that looks more like a commercial than a conversation. 

An effective digital presence should be a two-way conversation between the business and its audience. Instead of a menu of products or services, it should be a digital story that includes many chapters that are all interesting and valuable to your audience. 

Are you truly listening to your customers on social media?

01. THE POWER OF ACTIVE LISTENING: A SUCCESS STORY 📣

Remember that time you researched a big purchase, like a car? You wanted all the information before making a decision, right? The same goes for your customers.

Recently, I spoke with one of our periodontal clients, and he said something that really resonated with me. 

He told me that the more informed his prospective patients are before the consultation, the more likely they are to proceed with the service he recommended. 

When a patient has done their due diligence on his services and understands the benefits/risks along with the differences between doctors/practices, the initial meeting is much more consultative and less salesy. Most of the decision to proceed is made on their computer or phone before they even walk in the door.

By listening to your customers and providing valuable content on your social media, you can build trust and make the decision-making process easier for your audience.

02. COMMON SOCIAL MEDIA MISTAKES: ARE YOU MAKING THESE?

Let’s be honest. You might be creating amazing content, but if it’s not resonating with your audience, it’s time to re-evaluate your strategy.

✔️ Peruse your social media over the last three months to see if you are making these social media mistakes:

❌ Over-promoting?

❌ Sharing content from others without adding your own perspective?

❌ Only talking about yourself or your business?

❌ Ignoring comments and questions?

If you answered YES to any of these ⤴️, it’s time to make a change.

03. READY TO TAKE ACTION? 🥊

People crave interaction, not sales pitches. Focus on addressing your audience’s needs and providing real value. 

✅ Look at your customer comments: What are they saying? What challenges are they facing?

✅ Dive into your social platform analytics: Find your best performingcontent from the last 3 months and create more of that!

✅ Focus on delivering value: Shift your focus from selling to providinginformation and insights that genuinely help your audience.

Listen to what your customers and clients want, and then address those desires by tailoring your social media strategy to them. Be thoughtful and intentional with an ultimate goal of adding value. 

Now let me ask you . . . 

〰️ Are you focusing on adding value rather than trying to sell? Being present on your social media profiles by commenting and engaging with your audience? 〰️

〰️ How do you actively listen to your customers on social media? 〰️

🤓 A Success Story is featured in every chapter of my new book, ‘Authentically Social. These stories are about an organization, business, or individual that put one of my Authentically Social principles into action and saw tangible results.