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Internet is indeed making the world smaller. There is no parallel competition in the current times when it comes to using social media for business communications. Social media holds great advantages over face-to-face interactions with its power, reach, and influence on younger and older generations alike. Thanks to the wide reach of social media, small businesses, and national markets can open their amenities to international markets according to their market rates.
Newer businesses are always looking forward to expanding their communications in a cost-effective and efficient way. More than 4.2 billion people are using different social media websites actively. If you don’t have an online presence these days, you are missing out on a very efficient and business-friendly way to communicate with your clients and peers.
Benefits of social media in business communication
Some benefits of using social media in business communications are:
1. Wider reach
There is no doubt that social media has a wider reach than any other form of interaction. With the world becoming a bigger place, social media is one place where you can collect multiple people on the same platform. People from different demographics, cultures, niches, etc., can gather at the same place to discuss thoughts and ideas. Hence, being on social media gives you the advantage of reaching a wider audience for your communications. It also becomes easier for your audience to communicate with you. As people share your content and contacts with their networks and follow suit, your content spreads across the internet, potentially getting thousands of views.
2. Customer service
Customer service is one the more significant parts of the communication businesses have their customers and clients. Hence, having good customer service is crucial for all businesses. The best thing about using social media as a platform for customer service is that people don’t have to wait by the phone for you to answer. You can set up different alerts for when you receive a complaint and a question and be aware of things that are troubling your customers. One problem with traditional customer service is that it can get saturated quickly, and employees can get overwhelmed soon. Using social media ensures that your customers are never disappointed when it comes to customer communications.
3. Putting out promotional content
Business communication doesn’t only have to be from the business’s side. It can be difficult for a business to engage with its audience because it is not an individual entity or a celebrity they can interact with. People like interacting with others on social media because they feel seen. Hence, give your audience a reason to engage with your social media pages. Put out promotional content for your views. Post about the latest sales and discounts or the latest promotions your brand is offering. Social media is the best platform to use captivating graphics to attract people. Post polls and quizzes to get your audience engaged. This will increase the traffic on your page and improve brand visibility.
4. 24/7 online presence
People have very little patience when it comes to dealing with businesses. With so many options available out there, people move quickly to other options if they feel like a business is lacking. Thus, it becomes important to be in constant communication with your customers; this is where social media provides. One can be available on social media 24/7, with no opening or closing times for your phone lines or exhausted employees. People can discuss their ideas, provide feedback or even ask questions about your products and services to get instant answers. One thing to remember is trying not to use automated messages. Make your presence real so that people can connect to you and get authentic answers.
5. Collaborations
Businesses are not only based on communications with the customers but also with other businesses. With such intense competition in every niche, it becomes important to collaborate and partner with other businesses. It is a great way to expand your audience and create a new buzz around your brand. Social media is a great place to get people talking. The more people talk and engage with your brand, the more interested your audience gets. When any two brands collaborate and campaign, the news spreads like wildfire on social media channels. People rush to check out the new products birthed by their partnership. Business communications that start because of brand collaborations tend to be very successful.
Useful business communication websites
Some important business communication websites are:
1. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is one the most prominent social media website also categorized as a business platform. While it is an employment-based website, many businesses use it as a communication platform to publicize their profile and credentials and communicate with their target audience. Companies can develop contacts with clients and gain mutually beneficial expertise. However, LinkedIn doesn’t provide real time communication.
2. Zoho Desk
Zoho Desk is a free customer service provider that guarantees better productivity and happier customers to the businesses that use its services. Currently, it has more than 50,000 small and big businesses satisfied customers. The site helps you set up alerts and assign tasks on the business’ help desk. According to the website, some features include social media presence and e-mail alerts, along with live chat features to help the customers in real-time. It also has traditional telephone service if that suits you better.
3. Slack
Slack is an American-based business communication platform. It can be used for text messages, voice and video calls, and file sharing. It is basically a messaging site that provides customers and businesses with needed information. Some features include setting reminders, pining messaging and referencing them to links, tracking documents, etc. Slack has three different versions, the first one being free. You can choose the professional versions according to your needs. They, however, are paid.
There are hundreds of websites that support small and big businesses in the task of business communication. Proper business communication can do wonders for a company’s reputation. Customer satisfaction is of utmost importance for any business. Hence, it is essential to live up to it.
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