Public relations and success in social networks

This text is a public forum for World Economy and Business and can be read in pdf here

I'm not the person to perform an upgrade guide of the old Internet Code of Ethics for this time of social networks, but my time quietly observing the phenomenon and drawing many conclusions. I would at least list the guidelines that I believe are necessary to avoid literally attacking your contacts and damage the image of your business or service. Public relations and social media marketing like more or less, but it is a clear trend in the coming years and, in many companies, due to the rush, go with the left foot and there certain things that the user does not condone.

The great social media revolution is to put in the same plane to the message sender and receiver. Enigualar roles. So, companies that want to work this concept correctly have to demonstrate good use of public relations and customer service issues often neglected. It is a most uncomfortable position for the sender of the message, used to not having to listen to, but more just and which will portray the quality of customer care products and services.

Public relations is important because of the need for real two-way communication in social media. The user not only demands a good service or that this is interesting also feel a participant in it and in fact so, as it is part of the generation of content. The user is not a passive, not just the view, now creates and therefore feels part and demand. These are some of my conclusions:

◗ The medium is not the end, only the initial part of the road. We must not fall into the trap of creating channels of communication with your potential users through Twitter, Facebook or MySpace to communicate offline only, this does not mean your company have adapted to these channels nuevostiempos.En few years will be created by default the difference lies in who's handled properly and that is what complicated. Open accounts and groups to abandon them or use them with little success creates a negative perception on the part of users.

◗ Organize, create and bring something
You can do on Twitter, Facebook, wherever ... but adds something. If the community sees that you're an actor engaged in the conversation partner, not an entity created to promote a product, possibly when you do some marketing capillary action and perception will be much better.

◗ We have to dispense the information, for example, if you reside in a certain region, it is advisable to send data from the area who compete, no other distant countries.

◗ If you mess up, apologize, laugh and be original. The field of social networking is very new to almost everyone, so it is quite possible that mistake. Interact, learn and, if necessary, apologize. There is nothing more unpleasant than a company that pulls forward rolling
once all blunders, avoiding recant.

◗ If something goes wrong, do not minimize errors ocultes.No dont go away and come back if there are problems when they are resolved or limit yourself to say "to report to the responsible." If something goes wrong gives the face, acknowledge, explain and even take it a certain philosophy and sympathy for the user.

◗ Learn, improve your learning servicio.Pero that you must do solo.Deduce.No you can openly ask "how improved it," unless it has confidence. The aim should be to communicate, meet, learn from the user.

◗ Maximize your success offline. Aprovechatusaciertos offline advertising for use in social networks like Facebook. Seránmiles The result of fans willing to receive communications and you new listings and promotions.

◗ Listen and use feedback to support and help r. That is one of the differences between promoting social networks
made in USA and Europe. In the U.S. support "chasing" the user wherever he is. The key is to listen. Often a user does not like a service or do not understand, and always appreciate that there is interest not to refute, but to listen, tell you that your complaint or request falls on deaf ears and extend the information provided, if necessary.

The director of a company, however large, not only wasting your time listening to a user, but also receive valuable feedback and rewarding will not find in any focus group. In fact, you loyalty, lets see it is flesh and blood and makes the prescribing of service on many occasions. Finally, one last comment. I have great doubts whether channels like Twitter and Facebook should be maintained by an agency or someone from the service. For me, an agency can take perfectly, provided you know very well the service, has immediate access to the company and holds a representative who can where staff need to be given, with decision-making included.