Social networks and business: how to use them to the best advantage in order to maximise results

Social Networks and business are two concepts which, especially in the last few years, have fused so much that they form an unbreakable combination:  a union which began way back in 2006, when Dell inaugurated a new era of interaction with its clients, by publishing a video clip on its blog of a laptop computer catching fire in one of its offices.

At the time there was no such thing as a Facebook page, Twitter had yet to be invented and using Social Networks in business was almost inconceivable.  Despite that, however, it was already quite clear to Dell that the key to success lay in its ability to communicate with consumers.

Nowadays, everyone knows that business can be improved through the use of Social Networks, but some are unaware that while these tools change constantly, the relationships created can last forever.  How can we make these more advantageous?  We can of course do this by listening to customers and satisfying their requirements, through the use of available technologies.

Anyone wishing to combine Social Networks and work, must therefore aim for transparency as well as authenticity.  In doing this, it is essential to create consistent relationships based not just on mutual trust, abut also on an awareness on the part of the consumer that they are not just a number for boosting profits, but also a person whose needs must be met.

The combination of Social Networks and business becomes invincible at the exact moment that the purveyor listens to and meets the requirements of the consumer, by offering what he needs, without the need to visit a physical business premises.  Has the user left a comment on the Facebook page or purchased a product recently?  If so, the company is already familiar with his tastes.

The ideal scenario is to understand what the user Is looking for, how often he purchases  certain items, where he lives, who he is, and (above all) what his purchasing habits are.  Thanks to this information it is possible to set out an involvement strategy, aimed at convincing the subject in question that the more information he provides, the better the service he will receive.

Translated by Joanne Beckwith