Devoted to customer service and the principles of exceptional customer services

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Remember when hanging out at MySpace was the "it" thing to do?  It's a great way to connect with friends and family, but now many people have turned to Facebook for their social networking fix.  Advertisers now see Facebook as potential to get in front of the eyes of millions of users.  I don't know about you, but I'm already annoyed by all the advertising that's been happening at these social networking sites.

Business Week recently published an article titled "Generation MySpace Is Getting Fed Up" which says that last global ad spending on social networking sites increased 155% to $1.2 billion last year.  However, Google reported that it didn't get as much revenue as expected. 

There comes a point when advertising is just too obtrusive.  Recently I was approached by an company with the opportunity to put audio ads on one of my blogs.  They pitched it to me like it was "the next biggest thing in online advertising".  Needless to say, I turned down the offer.  Who wants to visit a website and have an ad blaring in the background? 

Quit Advertising and Start Connecting

What if I told you that you could save thousands of dollars in advertising just by 

focusing on customers you have right now?   Make connections with them - whether it's sending a thank you card or providing information that is valuable to them.  There are so many people looking for information on the internet these days.  You could be that source that people could come to when they need information on a particular topic related to your business.  It's about target marketing.  It's about getting quality visits to your website, not quantity. 

In his book, Doing What Matters: How to Get Results That Make a Difference - The Revolutionary Old-School Approach, James M. Kilts says:

"...don't get caught up in the fad theory of the day.  Stay focused on the fundamentals and apply them rigorously and across the board.  They may seem trite and trivial; they usually turn out to be profoundly important."

Many companies that advertise on MySpace or Facebook are focused on getting their ads in front of thousands of people without any thought to whether or not those people are even remotely interested in what they have to offer.  The costs involved with this type of advertising campaign are pretty high - especially if you're on a pay-per-view (CPM) contract.

Looking at Kilts' advice from a customer service perspective, we must try to keep in mind that customer service is a key fundamental in business.   Mass advertising doesn't increase sales (ok, maybe temporarily), but ultimately it's about creating an authentic experience for your customers that leaves them no choice but to keep buying from you.  Social networking sites may be those passing fads, but one thing will always remain constant:  creating phenomenal experiences.