Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Negative Feedback? Say Thank You!

What do your social media and your online dating profile have in common?

What does your business's social media strategy have in common with online dating?  

Actually, more than you'd think. Both require a certain amount of vulnerability and courage to get great results. Think about it: creating your dating profile to show an authentic version of yourself and what you have to offer a potential mate is your best chance of attracting someone who's great for you... but it also opens your up to rejection and criticism from those who are "not so right" for you. And while opening your brand up to the comments, feedback, and support of your audience can be a blast, there's one thing I always try to warn my clients about before they get going on their social media strategies: Putting yourself out there can be SCARY!

One of the most common questions I hear is, "What do we do if we get negative comments on our Facebook page? We can just delete that, right?". WRONG! (Well, usually wrong.) Obvious spam, spewing hatred, or grossly inappropriate conduct on the part of your reader may warrant deleting, but an unhappy, venting customer can actually be a great opportunity for you and your brand! Here are 3 ways to deal with negative feedback on your social media platforms:

  1. Respond Directly: Use the commentator's name in a public and timely reply. Thank them taking the time to share this (after all, feedback is the best way for you to improve your future customer experience) and invite them back to try your service again. Let the rest of your following see how much you care about your customers and how professionally you can handle adversity. If the situation needs an explanation, feel free to give a simple version, but remember the golden rule, "The customer is always right!" Don't get so defensive that making yourself look good in the explanation at the expense of your customer's dignity.

  2. Make it a Private Conversation: If you feel this incident requires more conversation than can be appropriately handled publicly, use your public page to ask the customer to email your directly (providing the email for everyone to see- this will help anyone else having the same issue.) See this great example from Accessory Auction's Facebook page (they do an AMAZING job with their customer interaction!) Best practice for dealing with negative feedback online
  3. Own Up to It- And ADD VALUE: So you really stepped in it this time, huh? Maybe you heavily advertised  a 50% off deal on an item that sold out in the first 10 minutes of the sale and now the customers who missed out are hopping mad! In this example, responding to everyone individually is still a great practice. But following up with a post on your part thanking everyone for their enthusiasm, explaining that you weren't anticipating such an awesome response, and offering 25% off everything else you offer for the rest of the day to add some value to their less-than-stellar shopping experience can really turn a mess into a friend-building opportunity!
So what are your favorite ways to deal with negative feedback? Share your experience in the comments below!

Friday, September 21, 2012

Free Font Collection for Announcements & Headlines

Need a little pizazz for your latest headlines or need to make a big announcement? Check out this free font collection to get those creative juices flowin'. (Links are below.)
Enjoy!
5 Free Fonts for Announcements  

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Stop "Innovating" Right Now!


Would you describe your business as "innovative"? Are you "pleased to" introduce your newest team member or is your latest product "cost effect"? Well these are are good things...except they aren't.

A few years ago, marketing strategist David Meerman Scott compiled a list of the most over-used words and phrases from press releases. Words and phrases that are SO over-used that they've become essentially meaningless "gobbledygook". So what are you supposed to say? Try real language! The kind your tribe speaks! On your social media platforms, talk to your followers as if they were *gasp* actual humans who are interested in what you have to offer, rather than some faceless press-release-reading media outlet. Explain your latest and greatest, how it will help those who are interested in you, and where they can find it. Ask for feedback. LISTEN. And stop with the gobbledygook!

Check out the list of Gobbledygook below, then share your favorites that you come across all the time in the comments!


Monday, September 17, 2012

Never Stop Learning (Free Printable!)

Check out the new snazzy badge in the right sidebar! I earned it by passing the Inbound Marketing University certification exam (with honors, I might proudly add) offered through Hubspot. And while a sidebar badge widget is pretty rad, the best part really was the fabulous resources that Inbound Marketing U offered for me to refresh, engage, re-learn, and discover about Inbound Marketing. I am a firm believer that no matter what your field, the most effective way to stay passionate and engaged and to keep learning whenever and wherever the opportunity presents itself.

In honor of this fun reminder, enjoy one of my favorite quotes from Oscar Wilde (and keep scrolling for a printable version without the website title if you want a visual reminder for yourself!):


FREE printable (Click the words to download- then leave a comment telling me where you displayed yours!)


Friday, September 14, 2012

How Email Goes From Outbound to Inbound

Most of the Social Suzi tips you'll find here deal with the concept of "Inbound Marketing". That is to say, I'm advocating that instead of spending your time, money, and resources begging or buying people to come look at your content, you'll draw people to you. The common thread through all of these techniques is simple: Giving.

In one of my very favorite business books, The Go Giver, we hear a parable of a business man who learns that the more he gives, without expecting anything in return, the more business and general happiness he attracts to his life in return. I can't recommend this read enough, and would love for you to adopt some of the lessons from it into your life and your business strategy.  
One of the first places you can start to apply this idea is in your email marketing. Here are 3 ways you can start to shift from Outbound to Inbound thinking:
Make Your Email Marketing Part of Your Inbound Marketing Strategy


Start with the shift in mindset to see what you can offer people (I bet its a lot!), and be amazed by what you start to get in return.



Tuesday, September 11, 2012

3 Ways (And A Bonus) to Build Your Business Blog




Some best practices for blogging effectively for your business:
  1. Broaden the conversation: You decided to start a blog for your small business, so obviously you're going to use it exclusively to promote yourself, right? WRONG! No one wants to become a reader of blog that spews nothing but self-promotion and advertising. Instead, create a conversation around a broader topic you love. Are you a paint store? Instead of an excruciatingly detailed account of each shade of yellow on your shelves, try posting about the color trends for this Fall, or how to choose the perfect trim for your bedroom. By shifting the focus from a micro-view of your store's inventory to a macro-view of home-decorating in general, you position yourself as an expert in the field and attract a wide range of readers to really get the conversation flowing!
  2. Respond to Comments: Comments are an amazing opportunity to have a direct discussion with your readers and fans. Responding to a reader (and calling them by their first name is a great touch) shows that you are listening, gives you a chance to answer questions, address concerns, and just provide stellar customer service even when not face-to-face. Your readers will not only appreciate the response, but will start to feel a connection with you and your business.
  3. Add Value! Again, while a well-constructed blog will help to promote your business, your blog shouldn't appear to be self-serving. Instead, with every decision, from design to posting, ask "how does this add value to my readers?". Your fans are busy! If they are going to take time our of their lives to hang out on your url, shouldn't they be rewarded with content the educates, entertains, or makes them think? If you create a Blogroll, think of it as a list of resources for your reader. If you post a picture, ask yourself what the value-add is. When you post content, make sure there is a take-away message. Think of it as the party favor your reader gets to take away from the time they spent with you and your business.
And a bonus tip: Be Patient and Be Passionate! If you're expecting an instant following, engaging conversation, and fascinating feedback right after the very first post on your blog, you're likely in for a big disappointment. Blogs take time to gain traction, to climb the SEO ladder, and to find their footing. Write about what you are passionate about so that you can continue to stay excited during that growing phase when you feel you are writing in a vacuum. Trust that with persistence and patience, your readers will find you and all of those posts you've been creating will provide rich content for them to read!

Want to learn more about these tips and other ways to elevate your business blogging? Check out the video class below from Inbound Marketing University, or contact me to have a chat on how you can get your business's blog booming!


How to Blog Effectively for Business (GF101)