Making Your Social Networking a Two Way Street

Social networking means you’re going to have to do something you’re not used to doing with advertisements in the traditional sense. While you’re there to promote your company’s products and services, you’re opening up your world to a two-way street of communication.

When you rent a billboard or pass out fliers or buy ad space offline, you just put it out there and wait for customers to take you up on your offers. But online, when you plant these promotional seeds, your prospects expect to be able to interact with you as if they’re already standing in your store or office as a paying customer.

They want a little bit of “try before you buy” which is why viral content is so crucial to your success. It gives value and proves your expertise before they whip out their wallets. They also like to get to know you before they invest in you – and that can be accomplished by doing something as simple as responding to the comments people leave on your blog.

On most web 2.0 sites, you have options to interact with your readers. On Squidoo.com for example, you can include a guestbook. On Twitter, you can respond in public or to a DM (direct message). You can create a fan page on Facebook and post back and forth to your consumers as well as share videos, links, and ideas.

This kind of communication is viewed as a burden by some offline entrepreneurs who don’t want to hassle with it but it provides great insight for you when it comes to developing and promoting your products. You’ll get a firsthand account of what your customer is seeking – and why – so don’t stifle the feedback from your target audience. Instead, make sure you let your followers know how important it is to you that you’re there for them. Build more than just a brand – build trust and loyalty and you’ll stamp out the competition quickly.