I've spent some time on this blog talking about the online "marketing mix." We've explored understanding it, and finding the right marketing channel for achieving a certain objective. This post is an addendum to that. In this post we will discuss Twitter as a Client Relations tool and blogs as a branding and trust-building tool.
*Twitter, Client Relations & Customer Service
I want to first talk about Twitter's value in customer service. While Twitter can be used in a few different ways - we've discussed some of these in other posts - Twitter really helps in enhancing customer service and client relations. The real-time nature of Twitter makes it easy to respond to customer questions, complaints and concerns.
Twitter's informal forum seems to encourage people to tweet things they wouldn't feel as comfortable with saying in an email or over the phone. The very human, down-to-earth quality of the site makes people sort of loosen up. In our experence, the mediation of the "status feed" encourages clients and customers to just start casual conversation with vendors. As a result, Twitter gives vendors a unique opportunity to really focus on relational marketing.
Don't neglect or underestimate the marketing and sales value of this.
*Blogs Build Value, Show Expertise & Engender Trust
With the advent of Twitter, some Internet marketers are saying that the traditional blog format will become obsolete or will soon vanish. We completely disagree with this. We are finding that blogs and Twitter (i.e., microblogs) serve very different purposes, and that the traditional blog forum is yet an indispensable part of the online marketing mix.
Blogs are still great for building value in a product, service or brand. For example, in a blog post you can extol the virtues of a product in detail and evoke fascination in a way that you just can't with a microblog site like Twitter. Also, I would wager that at least 40% of all Tweets link to a blog post expounding upon the Tweet in greater detail In this way, blogs and Twitter work very well together and create a kind of synergy with each other.
Blogs are also excellent media for showing readers your unique expertise. A new spin on a common problem; offering insight or information on a subject few others offer; demonstrating that you know what you're talking about; these are the province of blogs. You can't really do that with a microblog.
Finally, blogs can build trust in a way that microblogs cannot. For example, we will often send a blog post to a potential client or sales prospect as part of our sales and marketing strategy. As the prospect is thinking about whether or not to hire us, they can mull over a blog post that dives into detail on some subject od interest to them. This increases trust a little bit because we're not only showing our expertise but we're also giving them free knowledge and free consultation of sorts. This helps sow the seeds for closing the sale in the future.
Eric Bryant, Director
Gnosis Arts
22 Ray Court
Bedminster NJ 07921
908.787.3475
www.gnosisarts.com
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