In a world where one out of every seven minutes spent online is spent on Facebook, businesses can longer afford to simply focus on creating the best product or service -- they’ve got to be likeable, as well.
At least that’s what Dave Kerpen, CEO of Likeable Media, says in his new book, Likeable Business: Why Today’s Consumers Demand More and How Leaders Can Deliver. Today’s businesses need to effectively leverage online content and social media networks to tell their stories and, ultimately, drive profits and stimulate growth. With 62 percent of today’s adults using social media, the audience is already present -- businesses just need to leverage it.
In his book, Kerpen outlines 11 principles businesses -- whether they’re large companies or small startups -- should integrate into their social marketing strategies for ultimate effectiveness. Number-one on the list? Listening. And nothing helps your business listen to customer needs better than social media, says Kerpen, who counts HootSuite, SocialMention, and Tweet Archivist among his favorite social media listening tools.
“Companies of all sizes can use listening to gain a competitive advantage. A small recruitment firm can search Twitter for the term ‘We're hiring’ in their city to listen for potential clients. A small law firm can listen on Twitter for the term ‘need a lawyer’. A business consultant can search Twitter for terms like ‘my business’ and ‘need to grow’,” Kerpen says. “All it takes to listen is some time and creativity -- something small businesses should all have.”
But just listening isn’t enough -- companies also need to be more flexible. Startups and small companies that want to be likeable shouldn’t wait around for perfection before promoting their product or service publicly.
“Don’t wait for perfection. As I quote [Mark Zuckerberg] in Likeable Business, ‘Done is better than perfect’,” Kerpen says. “Iteration is key to success. You need consumer feedback and lessons learned from mistakes. Products don’t live in a vacuum, they interact with consumer behavior and the marketplace. This modern world moves so fast that there’s no such thing as perfect for any significant period of time.”
Becoming a truly likeable business also means showing appreciation for customers, Kerpen says -- even if in very small ways. He recounts the story of interaction designer and storyteller Krystal Higgins, who was surprised and delighted at the dentist office when she found a ‘chef’s list’ of the toothpaste flavors available for her after-cleaning brush on the ceiling above the patient’s chair.
“Typically, dentists verbally read off the list, giving patients no time to chose, while this written list let Krystal think through the decision over the span of her cleaning. It was such a simple and cost-effective touch, yet widely impressible on any patient,” Kerpen explains.
Any type of business can take these small steps to show gratitude. Kerpen also points out business consultant Sandy Schussel, who used to work in real estate. Schussel was known to offer a bottle of champagne to every set of homeowners when they signed their closing papers.
“This tactic brought him repeating customers and a number of referrals--another inexpensive but extremely effective example of surprise and delight,” Kerpen says. “As these two examples present, surprise and delight does not have to be costly. It simply takes creativity. Think outside the box to find a simple touch that can be added to improve overall customer experience.”
With social media use on the rise, businesses no longer have to bend over backward to reach their audience and foster a ‘likeable’ brand. Small steps -- like listening, flexibility, and showing appreciation -- can improve social marketing efforts tenfold.
For more ways to ensure you’re creating a likeable business, check out Kerpen’s book, available on Amazon.
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