5 Ways to Nurture Client Relationships Using Social Media

Congratulations! You’ve found your client on Facebook, linked up through LinkedIn and followed them on Twitter. Now what? Many consultants, agencies and service providers think that their social media “duties” end there. In fact, that’s just the beginning. Just as a phone number is only valuable if dialed, connecting on social media is only valuable if you’re…well…social.

With the noise and flood of information on the networks, don’t let your clients get lost in the social shuffle.

Here are easy ways to stay connected with clients in meaningful ways.

1. Stay informed through email alerts from SocialMention.com. This free service allows you to get a social media “activity” report each day. Create an alert for each client. Scan the alerts quickly as they arrive. If you see a blog post, Tweet or Flickr photo related to your client, consider commenting, ReTweeting or sharing with others. Better yet, call your contact and reference what you found. Experiment with your search string to ensure you get targeted results. Use quotes if your client’s name uses commonly used terms. For example, don’t set up a search for “McDonald” if your client is “McDonald & Son’s Shipping.” You can imagine the number of meaningless “Big Mac” info you’ll receive.
2. Tune in on Twitter by setting up a list that only includes your clients’ handles. By doing so, you can easily zero in on their activity and respond, Retweet, or pass along their news to others. Be sure to flag your list as private on Twitter, so as not to share your client list with the entire Twittersphere. If you’re on HootSuite or TweetDeck, set up another column that searches for your client’s name. This allows you to follow other Tweeters’ activity and mentions of your client or keywords related to their industry.
3. Simplify your Facebook feed by creating a client list. Much like with Twitter, a dedicated client list allows you to filter out only their updates and get a quick snapshot of their activity, rather than have to visit each individual profile/page. Jump in. Comment on their latest event, product or news.
4. Tag clients in status updates. If appropriate, tag your client in a status update or wall post. Tagging is extremely useful as it allows you to link directly to your client’s page or place a link to their page on another organization’s page. For example, if your client is hosting a blood drive, why not help spread the word to your network and tag your client and the blood bank. Your update will appear on your page, your client’s and the blood banks. A three-pronged benefit and triple the visibility! Not sure how to tag? Learn how to tag on Facebook.
5. Support your client’s content. Subscribe to have the latest blog posts delivered to your inbox and be the first to comment, Tweet or post to Facebook, as appropriate.

What if your direct client contact isn’t on the networks? Monitoring activity can still benefit the relationship. You could choose to email him/her, stating that you saw the news about their latest release or found pics of the office picnic to be hysterical. Even though he/she isn’t active in social media, chances are they’ll still be pleased that you’ve taken an interest in the company’s day-to-day activity.

Deana Goldasich

Deana Goldasich, CEO and founder of Well Planned Web, plans and implements Content Marketing to help clients nurture leads, market their expertise and create an impactful presence online.

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