Customer satisfaction is the key to a successful business. Not long ago, customer satisfaction spread mainly through word of mouth and referrals. But today, sites like Yelp allow customers to openly review businesses for everyone to see - and they do. When choosing a service, most consumers spend a good amount of time online researching brands and companies to make their choice.

Today’s business owners are more accountable than ever to keep customers satisfied and resolve complaints. I mean, what’s going to make somebody pick your business if your competitor Joe Schmoe across the street has hundreds of great online reviews? That’s why it’s important to establish a strong online reputation. But how do you do this without being pushy or dishonest?

Here are five tips to get you started:

There’s no question that social media has become a major player in the way people interact nowadays. Sites like Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and more all attract millions of dedicated users daily, so its only fitting that businesses have taken it upon themselves to use these platforms as marketing tools. If used properly, you can see tons of leads from these sites, and can build a personable and friendly reputation with your customer base. Here’s five things to keep in mind:

1. Choose Which Networks Fit Your Industry and Demographic

You may already have a Yelp page for your business, but that’s not the type of site I’m talking about here (Yelp is great though). You want to market on the type of site that potential customers scour daily - Twitter, Instagram, these types of networks.

First ask yourself: Does your business produce something tangible? In other words, can you take pictures of what you are selling? Businesses like bakeries and restaurants, for instance, can take photos of their best dishes and pastries. Product-based businesses like these find great success posting on photo-based networks like Instagram and Pinterest. Some service-based businesses, like auto detailers, can use these networks to promote their cleaning abilities.

But if you are like most service-related businesses, its probably best to stay off the picture-themed sites because you may simply not have worthwhile pictures to post. Instead, stick to sites like Facebook or Twitter where you can offer promotions, conduct polls, and market your services.

Above all, pick a site that YOU can make work well for your business.

2. Post Appropriate Content

This may sound simplistic, but make sure the content you post is appropriate. By appropriate, I mean it should be something that will resonate with your followers/friends, and give them reason not to scroll right through it. Many of your business’s followers may be personal friends, but it is best to keep any personal posts off your business account. You’d be surprised at how many people forget this.

Is your business having an event? Is there a sale going on? Do you have a website blog, or did a customer do something special for your business? These would all be great things to post on social media.

3. Less is More

Some businesses constantly flood social network feeds with the mentality that they are increasing their company’s exposure. The problem with this is that followers might start to ignore your posts, or even get annoyed. This can come across as spammy, and nobody likes spam mail. 

What I recommend is posting only once or twice daily at appropriate times - maybe once in the morning and once in the evening. Consider when the bulk of your customer demographic will be on their social networks and post then. This way, your business will not look desperate for attention or customers. Also avoid posting the same thing twice, unless your posts are leading up to a special event or deadline.

4. Involve Your Customer Base

Involving your customer base is a great way to make your business stand out amongst your competitors. For example, ask a question that will give your followers a chance to voice their opinion. A breakfast cafe could post a picture of a popular dish, and include the caption “Our X dish with poached eggs! How do you like your eggs?” Or ask a “Can you guess…” type question. Questions will give your followers a reason to stop and think about your post.

You can also involve customers with hashtags - phrases that begin with a pound sign, like “#drycleaning” or “#coffee”. Hashtags are used on sites such as Instagram and Twitter to help users find similar posts by searching a particular hashtag. If you have an ongoing promotion, ask customers to use your unique hashtag if they post something relevant to your company. Or have followers use a certain hashtag to qualify for a giveaway.

5. Keep Your Replies Professional

It’s common sense, but we’ve all had those times when our emotions get the best of us. If a customer comments on your post to insult your business or give a bad review, it is best to give one acknowledging reply. And in a professional tone. If they continue to argue, let it be. Getting in a lengthy argument for everyone to see will look very unprofessional, no matter how despicable a commenter may be. By giving one reply, you will appear personable and show that you acknowledge complaints without getting in a full-blown debate.

These 5 tips will get you on the right path to your social network marketing campaign. Though these tips are true and tested methods, always do what suits you, your industry, and your customer demographic best.

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