Since the rise of social media, there\u2019s been a distinct shift in the world of brand communications. Instead of taking the traditional approach of telling the world how amazing they are (also known as advertising), more and more brands are now cottoning on to the novel idea of a two-way conversation. That is, using the internet as a platform to engage with their customers, ask them questions, and (lo and behold) sometimes even listen to the answers.<\/p>\n
In communications land, we\u2019re now referring to this using all sorts of delightful new terminology. \u201cOnline engagement\u201d is one term commonly bandied about. \u201cCollaborative marketing\u201d is another. My personal fave: \u201cstarting a dialogue\u201d (mmm, love the smell of jargon in the morning).<\/p>\n
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In many ways, this zeal around \u2018dialogue\u2019 is a great thing.<\/strong><\/p>\n Gone are the days of boring, self-obsessed monologues from brands waxing lyrical about their own brilliance. Gone is the expectation that people will listen to this drivel like wide-eyed toddlers. Thanks to the internet (in particular social media), consumers have taken a stand, found a voice, and are demanding to be heard \u2013 not just told. As a result, the onus is now on brands to take a genuine interest in what their customers think, instead of making convenient assumptions.<\/p>\n There\u2019s nowhere to run, and no billion-dollar TV campaigns to hide behind.<\/p>\n Sabir Samtani, founder of digital experience agency Reborn<\/a>, definitely thinks this change is positive. \u201cBrands just can\u2019t get away with shouting at us anymore,\u201d he says. \u201dThere\u2019s an expectation that they\u2019ll make an effort to communicate with people when and how they want.\u201d<\/p>\n The beauty of an online dialogue is that it also gives brands a direct line to customers, so it\u2019s pretty easy to see how communications are being received. Unlike old school \u2018above the line\u2019 ads (involving hard-to-measure media like TV and outdoor) online campaigns can be deemed a success or failure almost immediately. All you need to do is watch the likes and comments roll in (or the tumbleweeds roll by).<\/p>\n And speaking of comments \u2013 this is actually where things start to get a little complicated. Because, while opening up an dialogue is fine in theory, it can be quite another matter in practice.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The problem with starting a dialogue: you never know where it\u2019ll lead.<\/strong><\/p>\n No matter how well we think we know our audience, we are not mind readers. So when we kick off a conversation online, we can never ever really be 100% certain what will happen. These days, even a seemingly innocent post<\/a> can trigger a stream of vitriol, and cause offense to god knows how many minority groups.<\/p>\n One organisation that certainly learned the hard way was the New York Police Department \u2013 who, back in 2014, naively invited the public to share pics of themselves with local police officers using the hashtag #mynypd. Sadly, it quickly (and embarrassingly) became clear that they were a wee bit out of touch with how New Yorkers really<\/em> felt <\/a>about the cops.<\/p>\n A similar thing happened more recently here on home turf, when betting business William Hill asked Aussies to #NameAHorseRace<\/a> \u2013 and also back in 2011, when Qantas tried to put words in people\u2019s mouths<\/a>. In every case, the lesson is pretty clear: ignorance is not bliss, at least not when it comes to the opinions of the twitterverse.<\/p>\n Of course not all social media surprises are bad. Sometimes dialogue helps a brand to gain fresh relevance, or find unexpected pockets of supporters. But the thing is, you never know for sure. And thanks to the Share button, sh*t can escalate scarily quickly. Just ask the folks who were responsible for last year\u2019s Australian Census<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n So\u00a0how do you avoid your dialogue ending in disaster?<\/strong><\/p>\n While starting a dialogue is never foolproof, there are a few ways you can keep things (more or less) on track, mitigate the worst disasters, and avoid wasting your time and money. Here\u2019s what we recommend that our clients do.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n #1. Listen before you speak.<\/strong><\/p>\n Just like in life, it helps to know who you\u2019re talking to (and what\u2019s on their mind) before you blunder into a conversation. Luckily, brands can now take advantage of social listening tools to do just that.<\/p>\n \u201cThese tools have been around for a while but they\u2019re becoming increasingly sophisticated,\u201d explains Samtani. \u201cA lot of brands have previously seen this type of research as a \u2018nice to have\u2019 but really, it\u2019s something well worth investing in. You just never know what insights will come out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s true that social listening has helped companies like Pizza Hut<\/a> and Uber<\/a>\u00a0refine their offering \u2013 and it was even used to predict the results of the 2016 Federal Election<\/a>. In my mind, it\u2019s kind of like eavesdropping before you even enter the room \u2013 if you had the opportunity, why wouldn\u2019t you?<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n #2. Make sure the conversation has a point.<\/strong><\/p>\n Once you have a rough idea of how people perceive your brand, it’s time to decide what you want from the conversation you\u2019re about to have. Do you want to gain new customers? Change how people see you? Get some free market research? Before you move another inch, get this clear in your mind (and across your team).<\/p>\n Because let’s be honest, we\u2019ve all felt the annoyance that comes from pointless brand communications: those emails you regret even opening, those robotic status updates, those lame Instagram posts that are a waste of pixels. The internet is clogged with brands (and people) who are talking for the sake of talking. Please, I beg you, don\u2019t add to their numbers.<\/p>\n Instead, consider the power you have, and use it to actually do something useful. Ask for people\u2019s opinion on a product. Quiz them about their bugbears. Gauge their interest in an idea. Share something you think they\u2019ll find entertaining or useful. There are so many great things you can do by connecting with customers. Talking sh*t to give yourself a token \u2018presence\u2019 is not one of them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n #3. Never leave the room.<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s surprising how many brands start a dialogue online, only to panic or vanish as soon as people start to engage. Should go without saying, but being there is kind of essential. After all, anonymous public forums can easily become unbalanced, off topic, or derailed by overly vocal assholes. If you don\u2019t take the time to answer questions, respond to comments or moderate debates, you kind of deserve what\u2019s coming to you.<\/p>\n \u201cQuite a few brands have moments when they nail social media, but the hard thing is being consistent,\u201d says Samtani. \u201cBut that can often be attributed to one great Community Manager. It\u2019s not really fair, or sustainable, to rely on one person. The brands who do well invest in language guidelines and resources to make sure they\u2019re communicating actively and consistently across all touch points. Vodafone<\/a> and Qantas<\/a> are both good examples of brands who have managed to get back in customers’ good books by taking this approach.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n #4. Don\u2019t let your hard work go to waste.<\/strong><\/p>\n Forgive me if this sounds boringly practical, but when it comes to dialogue, I really believe it\u2019s best when all the talk actually helps achieve something. If you\u2019re going to the trouble of engaging with your customers, why not use all the insights (and data) you\u2019re gathering to make things better for them<\/em>?<\/p>\n I mean, how annoying is it when someone asks your opinion on something, then proceeds to ignore it?<\/p>\n Give people more of the stuff they like, and less of what they don\u2019t. Thank them for their loyalty. Listen to their feedback, and use it to improve what you\u2019re doing. Acknowledge when you\u2019ve gotten it wrong, and commit to making a change. Do whatever you can. It won\u2019t go unnoticed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n So, what\u2019s the bottom line?<\/strong><\/p>\n As you\u2019ve probably gathered by now, successful dialogue ain\u2019t for the fainthearted. It requires strategic thinking, long-term commitment, significant time and energy. And it requires guts! If you have what it takes to engage in a meaningful way, you\u2019ll be rewarded in spades. In my mind, there\u2019s no better way to get closer to customers, and build relationships that actually mean something.<\/p>\n So\u2026. anyone want to start a dialogue about dialogue? I\u2019m wide open.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Emma Heath is a Sydney-based communications professional and founder of copywriting & tone of voice consultancy Words By Nuance.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Since the rise of social media, there\u2019s been a distinct shift in the world of brand communications. 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