Top 10 reasons consumers follow your brand on Facebook

Ralph Paglia, editor-in-chief of the Automotive Digital Marketing Professional Community, wrote an article about consumer brand engagement earlier this week. Although his article pertained to the automotive dealership field, I think his list of top ten reasons consumers follow brands on Facebook is relevant throughout multiple fields.

I’ll tease you with the top five reasons, you can find the rest by visiting his article, “The top-10 reasons why consumers following a company on Facebook.”

Here the Top 5 Motivations why Consumers “Like” a Brand on Facebook and Follow:

1. 40% want to receive discounts and promotions

2. 37% want to show support for the brand/company to theirs

3. 36% hope (want) to get free samples, a coupon (a.k.a. freebies)

4. 34% want to stay informed about the activities of the company

5. 33% want to get updates on future products

Read the rest of the article by clicking the link above. I’m curious to know what you think!

2011
01/14
CATEGORY
consumer trends
public relations
Social Media
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Turning brand bashers into brand loyalists in 5 easy steps

Just one angry customer can be detrimental to the credibility and image of a brand. But, no matter how good your customer service, it’s bound to happen. Someone is going to have an experience with your business that leaves them unsatisfied. As PR people and communicators, we can either turn moments like these into brand-building opportunities or public relations disasters.

“Angry Customers Are a Gift,” which can be found on TheFinancialBrand.com outlines five great tips for turning brand bashers into brand advocates.

1. Apologize.
You will be forgiven, but usually only once. Don’t make the same mistake twice.

2. Listen and empathize.
Successful recovery is a psychological exercise. Treat customers in a way that suggests the company cares about the problem, the customer’s inconvenience, and making things right. One of the most important steps is simply listening. Let customers vent their frustrations and blow off some steam. It’s essential to let the customer explain their story and describe the impact of the failure.

3. Fix the problem.
Singapore Airlines follows a simple set of rules to fix customer complaints: If it’s simple, give it to the customer. If the thing that was miscommunicated is easy to do or follow through with, just do it. If it’s complicated, try to compromise.

4. Offer atonement.
Saying you’re sorry isn’t enough. What seems to really piss some customers off is their belief that their situation will have no effect on the company’s systems. What people want is some sort of assurance that their problem won’t happen again — to them, as well as to others.

5. Follow up
Once the problem has been fixed, make sure you follow up. Call the customer and ask, “Have we fixed everything for you?” and “What else can we do for you?” Make sure they are satisfied. This final step seals the experience as positive, and ensures the customer understands you are a truly service-oriented organization.

Read the complete article here.

2011
01/13
CATEGORY
PR 101
public relations
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In the battle of the social media giants, Twitter takes the lead!

When it comes to social media, PR people prefer to keep their communication short and sweet…and approximately 140 characters long! According to a poll conducted by Business Wire in December 2010, one third of PR people surveyed named Twitter as the social media tool of choice last year.

Twitter is a great way to communicate a brief message to a large audience.  It is also a great means for sharing links, building brand loyalists and monitoring your company’s image or brand. Twitter presents the opportunity to make a direct connection with an organization’s audience. According to Fresh Networks, a London based social media agency, nearly one-third of respondents polled said they follow brands on Twitter to stay informed about the activities of a company or brand, with a further 20 percent stating they become followers to interact with, share ideas and provide feedback about services or products. This creates the perfect opportunity for brands, especially PR people to engage in online conversation with people talking about their brand!

To read the top five reasons consumers follow brands on Twitter, visit Fresh Network.

The rest of Business Wire’s results for its December 2010 survey can be found below.

 

2011
01/11
CATEGORY
public relations
Social Media
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PR Peeps: This is why we’re hot…

We’re confident. We’re quick on our toes. We’re multi-taskers. No wonder public relations specialists made the “Best Careers 2011” list.  With major public relations/communications fiascos like the BP Oil Spill and that whole Tiger Woods… “thing” going down as two of the most poorly handled public relations crises in the past two or three years, it is no wonder why companies are seeing and appreciating the value of our kind.

According to the Labor Department, employment of public-relations specialists is expected to increase by more than 66,000 jobs, or 24 percent, between 2008 and 2018. Those numbers sound pretty good to me.

So, how is this new-found love for PR folks like us going to affect our pay and career growth? Check out what U.S. News and World Report has to say.

2011
01/10
CATEGORY
PR 101
public relations
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