Social media and other online publishing tools have made it possible - not only to reach many people in an individualised way - but for them to reach you. With the right use and combination of tools, you can move a great way towards making your brand available for a chat - both through the tools and communities your customers are already involved in and communication frameworks you can provide for them.
Despite the obvious benefits, companies often dismiss online communication tools as difficult to engage with or as fads. This is not that strange as unfamiliar and public communication tools are naturally somewhat intimidating. A recent study conducted by NetImperative in the UK found that 46% of employees felt their company hadn't provided them with guidelines for how to engage online and nearly a third of managers thought they would lose customers as a result.
Being intimidated by a communication channel is not useful. Not nearly as useful as engaging with one could be. It's important to remember that while each online channel has its own strengths, weaknesses and rules of play - they are all a means to an end and not an engagement strategy in themselves. Any online medium is a dynamic publishing tool and should be considered as such.
It's essential that you consider your overall communication goals at all times. What is your message and what medium best suits it? What is your company personality and how can it be channelled through the existing voices of your staff in the relevant medium?
There is no way you can project a culture of communication if one does not exist internally. Online tools empower not only your customers, but also your employees - and this is a good thing. Wikis, which allow for a central repository of information to be shared and edited, and tools such as Yammer (which offers Twitter functionality internally for companies) can be used to make sure that staff have a way to communicate with each other and the company as a whole.
A clear understanding of what should and should not be communicated externally can be created through a social media engagement policy. While a fear of information leaking is understandable, you should consider that too much control could also create unnecessary admin and stifle positive communication.
While there are bound to be dissenters - or people who share information you would prefer had not been shared - this is not something you can stop by ignoring online communication. It's rather something you can shape by taking part.
Once you have determined what your message is and who will be communicating it, you can begin to investigate and understand the possible mediums. Bear in mind that your message may have to be tweaked as you understand the possibilities of the medium and the feedback you receive. In some cases it may be shaped entirely by the conversation which is already taking place. Whether it be Twitter, Facebook, YouTube or a crowdsourcing platform, the key is to respect the ecosystem you are entering into.
Be open to what is being said to your brand and to consider that none of these tools are solely one-way communication channels like radio or TV - which is why we keep calling them interactive.
