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A close look at brand awareness programs reveals a new strategy to create trust networks to reach newer audiences and prospective clientele. The voice that is heard defines the existence of a brand. The need to share information and be known amongst groups makes people create an identity for themselves. Self esteem, confidence and approval from others emanate from social interaction-we need to feel that people agree with what we say and do. This, then has becomes the foundation and underlying principle of social media. Social media is a platform to share experiences, feeling and emotions, products and games, strategies and services with the network that we establish.

Social media is a consumers’ powerhouse, on which information goes viral in a matter of minutes. People share problems and bad experiences just as much as a god meal, superb service and a new find. This just goes on to reveal the speed at which messages, tweets and Facebook comments are shared. Twitter has over 1.1 million tweets per hour.

However, Social media is different from advertising. Advertising is having a one-time presentation of best attributes of your business, and the same message spreads. Social media on the other hand requires that the best foot be put forward all the time, with no scope for mistakes and errors, since the uncanny, scrutinizing eye of the customer is on you.

Social media helps to form groups of people who have something in common, and share products, services and tips. When a business makes an offer to one person in the group, he shares the information immediately with his group. Businesses need to take advantage of this connection. For instance Lufthansa has started a “member help member service”, which helps members connect and benefit from each other’s experiences.

All this goes to prove that customer service is important, and every single member’s satisfaction counts. A single unhappy customer can create a group furor and the business can be blacklisted. It will take a lot to build a rapport and make the customer trust you. The following is a list of steps that can be taken to build the trust:

• Honesty is important- It is imperative that you are honest with your customers. Earnestness and sincerity warms a customer towards you. If mistakes are owned up and you apologize, you are immediately forgiven, but cheat is never pardoned. You can even solicit advise and make the customers feel involved and see the response you get through tweets and comments.
• Own up for a mistake and apologize- If you deliver a flawed product, do not hesitate to recall all the sold items-repair and replace-as the need arises. This is much better than people finding the flaw and sending out tweets, warning their groups not to buy-this would harm the business. A recall and an offer of replacement shows the business in a positive light-that it cares, and is owning up.
• Consistency is one quality that is appreciated. If a customer could be sure that he will get the same quality time and again, he will keep returning for more. So if you make a brand promise, stick to it.
• Be the brand that people feel reflects their inner selves- Customers feel the brands they buy reflects their personality, so ensure that your brand stands for all the qualities people appreciate.

Once this is accomplished and a loyal clientele created, it is time to cement the relationships with innovations and new creations in keeping with the times, so that customers remain ahead in the race for the latest.

Brands once established, move towards the next step of selling a lifestyle to its loyal customers rather than sticking to just a product or two. The customers like being offered new things and embrace each new launch.

Having a website is fine but it needs to be updated and made more interesting to keep visitors absorbed and entertained. The net visitor has limited patience and loyalty need not last if he finds something more interesting elsewhere. So stay ahead in the race with updates and information.

Use social media to divert traffic to your website by posting links to information and articles that  you post on your blog-this will improve traffic. Offer online discounts, promotional products and freebies to keep up customer interest.

Marketing needs to be at its best and it must continue ceaselessly, to rope in new customers while retaining older ones. Make sure your site, products and marketing strategies evolve, improve and keep the customer engaged.

This is a Guest post by Neil Jones, who Specializes in launching ecommerce sites, he is currently plying his trade as head of marketing for eMobileScan. With 18 websites based all around Europe they are on course to be one of Europe’s largest online retailers of Industrial handheld computers and label printers like the Motorola MC75 terminal or Symbol MC9090. Neil has been an online marketer for the past 6 years and in that time he has owned and run a range of sites all built around the ecommerce platform.