Customer Service “is” the New Marketing

Remember the old small business customer service mentality?  Where pleasing the customer came FIRST, and the need to delight them was “a given” not an option?   Great news – it’s back (or at least on its way back)!

The democratizing nature of social media has returned power to the customer, making Brand Advocates one of our strongest marketing assets.  If we want to share their power (not take it!), we need to adopt customer service as the new way of marketing – or “unmarketing,” a term mentioned by Brian Solis in the introduction to his book Engage, and Scott Stratten details extensively in his blog and book UnMarketing.

Considering this power shift, the #1 question we should be asking our Brand Advocates is “How may I serve you?” Ask early and ask often.

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6 Lessons From @RedCross Social Media Crisis

A social media crisis can occur very innocently and quickly, as when a social media community manager “mistweets”, sending a message intended for one Twitter account to another.  The consequences can be humorous or disastrous:  much depends on how the “crisis” is handled.

Such a mistweet occurred with the official Red Cross Twitter account. A message was sent to the account’s more than a quarter of a million followers touting the discovery of “more beer” and boasting:  “…when we drink we do it right.  #gettingslizzerd”

A nightmare?  For most, perhaps, but for the Red Cross, expert at handling a crisis, through candor, quickness, and humor, they turned it into a positive.

6 Lessons from the Red Cross Mistweet

1.  When a crisis occurs, address it quickly.
2.  Respond to the crisis in the same forum where it occurred, as well as putting to work other available social media networks.
3.  Be honest about the mistake.
4.  Apologize for the mistake.
5.  Don’t panic.
6.  Use the moment to humanize your brand.

The Red Cross tells the story best in their blog.

Glen Gilmore

Photo credit:  JasonWatkins, Flickr