Freelance Confidential - Amanda Hackwith [17]
@copyblogger (Brian Clark), writer and founder of CopyBlogger. Brian smoothly mixes his own comments with the writing-focused content of his site. He knows his audience, which means writers can find something enjoyable in nearly every tweet.
@unmarketing (Scott Stratten), writer of Unmarketing. Scott's literally written the book on "getting real" with social media and engaging your followers.
@wilw (Wil Wheaton), actor and writer. While Wil gained fame as Wesley Crusher on the Star Trek: Next Generation television series, his cult following has blossomed because of his online presence. Wil attracts fans with enjoyable content and the strength of his personality, making promotion of upcoming shows and products feel natural.
We trust what we're fond of; being likeable breeds credibility. I may like you for reasons completely unrelated to my needs as a client, say because I agree with your opinions on movies or I found out you have the same kind of pet dog as I do. Relevant or not, liking you will mean I am more likely to remember you when I need a service you provide.
We're Consistency-Seeking Creatures
The human brain finds comfort in things that are familiar. That's why you keep going back to that pizza joint on the corner, even though their deep dish isn't the best. That's why you keep going back to that blog that may have only had mediocre articles lately or stay with a software that hasn't had great or even recent updates. The first initial good impression (that "likeability") stays with us and will keep us returning to familiar faces even if there are other options available. You strive to be consistent in your business to keep your clients satisfied and coming back.
The same applies to participating with social media. You need to interact consistently with the frequency expected your community—each network is going to be different. A Twitter follower might expect an almost immediate reply, but a question posed to your Tumblr might warrant a couple days of thought. You will want to have a reliable schedule of updates, and even communicate with your followers about any big absences.
Remember that the key to any social activity is to cultivate relationships and build your presence in a community. Remember the last time one of your clients sent you an email then disappeared for two weeks? It was, at the very least, frustrating and felt like a waste of your time. Random silences or spotty participation might not crash your business, but it will be a roadblock to the kind of engagement you're working so hard to enjoy. Make the time and stay active.
Listen, Interact and Respond
If you only act on one of the tips I've provided here, let it be this one: be responsive. A few months ago, I purchased new software and experienced some very poor customer service. The phone reps I worked with confused their records and ended up billing me twice for some very expensive software. I discovered the mistake and spent several days on the phone with little progress. Annoyed and frustrated, I tweeted about it, mentioning the company name. Within minutes, I had contact from a special division of customer support that called me and refunded my money. The initial purchase was still a negative experience, but I was impressed by the responsiveness. The company's responsiveness to social media was able to repair a negative experience into a somewhat positive one.
If you're active in any community long enough, other users will begin to respond to you. It will be comments on your updates, questions directed to you, or name-drops in their own posts. Look for feedback and take the time to respond to them. Unlike blogs, where it's common to post an article and only passively listen to comments, social networks thrive on interaction.
There is no faster way to building an engaged audience and increasing your credibility with a community than to be a responsive and engaged member. The story I shared above is an extreme example of a company responding to a harsh complaint, but there are many