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| Vice President—Content/Editorial Director, Ruthanne Terrero |
I was going through some very old columns recently and found a quote from Lalia Rach on what the consumer is looking for from a supplier:
* Quality service based on my needs.
* Consistency.
* Recognition of my values.
* Delivery on a promise, a.k.a., trust.
* A seamless exchange where promises are met.
* A knowledgeable professional who answers my questions correctly.
* Requests that are efficiently implemented.
That was back in 2009 and the words from Rach, who at the time was the dean of the Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management at New York University and has just become the associate dean and director at UW-Stout School of Hospitality Leadership in Wisconsin, ring more true than ever.
What’s changed? You are now communicating with your client via social networking as well as by e-mail and telephone. They may be writing on your Facebook wall or responding to a Twitter post. Perhaps they follow you on Twitter and send you a direct message to ask you a question.
There’s no doubt you’ll handle this way of communicating in the same professional manner you’d handle a call or an e-mail. I have just one piece of advice: Do not desert your Facebook or Twitter accounts because you’re bored with them or have found they just don’t bring you any business. These accounts, just like your website, are another front door to your agency. If you have decided social media is not for you, take down the pages.
If you decide to rejoin the conversation: This time around, be sure to answer those who respond to your postings. Facebook’s new “reply” capability allows you to directly respond to a comment on your page. This can be a simple “thank you” for your comment or a reply that goes more into depth.
Beyond being vigilant about responding to client postings on your accounts, be wary of those who mean to do you harm. This could be that person who writes a nasty message on your page, just because they feel like it, or you could be spammed by someone uploading links to sites on weight loss. Having such messages on your Facebook page will likely prohibit anyone else (i.e., normal people) from posting their own responses to your great photos or travel deals or links. Don’t just delete such negative comments—ban the person as well from your site. Facebook’s “Pages Manager” app on your phone lets you easily see activity on your page.
Last piece of advice: Use large photos of beautiful destinations to entice clients to interact with you on Facebook. Don’t make your questions too complicated. “Like this photo if you would like to be here now” is a good lead-in proposition to run with that photo of a beach and palm tree and it will likely get more engagement from readers than a two-part question that asks them to delve into complicated issues.
Are you really having a tough time getting people to “like” or comment on your social network posts? Try uploading a photo of a gorgeous cocktail around 4 p.m. on any workday, and especially a Friday. You will not be disappointed with the response.
For more on social networking tips, see Adam Leposa’s cover story on pages 30-35.