B2B or B2C marketers should build their company’s online communities by creating targeted email blasts to the company’s customer and potential customer database. Create a theme, such as ‘We’re Listening’ to get your customers to tell honest stories of their experiences with the company, whether positive or negative. For any positive stories, use them in future newsletters or on the company’s website to show the community experience, which creates a positive halo effect that the company is a ‘people-type of company’.
For any negative stories, address them immediately and take action in whatever channel the communication came through, whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or LinkedIn, so customers will believe that the company cares about them. Don’t make a mistake like what BP did when the oil spill occured last year, when they waited so long to address all of the negative comments on Twitter. If BP would have addressed the comments immediately, the image of the company probably would have been a lot different, as we know it now.
By addressing customer concerns will make your customers long-term advocates of the company and attract new customers based on the positive experiences of the current customers.