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We are a community that increasingly lives in the digital world, breaking language and distance barriers in an instant. We talk every day through emails, social networks, phones and their applications, which brings us many benefits.

However, that noisy communication style sometimes inhibits us from hearing clearly. When brands don't listen well, it's a problem because what helps us the most to reach our audience is listening to them. So, how can we take advantage of the high amount of information that is in the cloud every day and what are the most effective tactics to open the conversation with our audience?

1. Accessibility

One of the most important things for any brand today that wants to listen to its audience is accessibility. It must be easy for us to talk to them. We must make an effort on social networks, on the website, on the blog, or on a landing page where it helps us direct people and leave them more detailed information about our services and products. 

On the other hand, it should be even easier for them to talk to us. Our audience needs avenues of communication that are fast and highly visible. Although it seems obvious, there are many brands that do not put contact information in an easy to find place. There are thousands of brands that ask people to fill out very long forms or that do not leave links to their social networks, or that have contact information on the networks that does not match the contact information on the website, generating confusion and driving people away. our followers.

If you make it easy for your audience to contact you, you already have a chance that they will tell you what they want or what they are looking for. The needs and desires of our public is the most valuable information when making strategic decisions about the products or services we offer, when, how, and why.

2. Good management of communication

If you have a website that is easy to navigate, with easy-to-find contact information, with social media links prominently displayed, you also have to have someone who is checking those channels all the time. If someone writes on Instagram and no one responds, the brand loses reputation. No one wants to waste time communicating with brands that don't respond. 

So, if you want to listen to your audience well, tip number two is not to have so many communication channels that you can't handle any of them well. If you find that the most active audience is on Instagram, close the Facebook or LinkedIn channel and focus on what you're doing on IG. If you see that your audience prefers to call you or write to you via Whatsapp, perhaps you can reduce the contact by mail to a single form from the contact page on your website. 

In each case, have someone on your team who is dedicated to reviewing those communication channels and make it clear what the hours of operation are.

3.Reviews

It doesn't matter if you offer services, products, or both. People always want to read or listen to reviews and/or recommendations from other people who have already had direct contact with your brand. When those recommendations come from influential people, from recognized media that drive trends, or from friends/acquaintances of them, the impact is even greater.

In addition, managing a review teaches you a lot about your products and/or services, how to improve them and what features to highlight. Through the review we learn a lot from our public and we can make better decisions.

Now some tips…

 You can directly ask an influencer to review you, then post and share with both of your followers. You can send a survey through a mailing to all your contacts to ask them to give you some feedback on a particular product or service. It is best to send a very short form, with no more than five questions, and it can be managed through a Google Form. You do not have to invest money in the management of these surveys.

You can also offer, through your social networks, the opportunity to try the products and/or services in exchange for reviews that are later published on your communication channels and on the social networks of those who have tried the products. You receive feedback and, at the same time, you have the opportunity to reach more people through the shares on the networks. 

4. Offline still works 

Tip number four, to listen well to your audience, is to see them again in person.

We are very used to communicating virtually, but the impact of face-to-face communication is still one of the most valuable. There is nothing that can be done to replace face-to-face interactions. 

Taking that into account, we must establish times and moments when we look for that interaction. Ask yourself the following…

 Where do your audience spend their free and/or work hours? Can you also go to those places to chat, show them your products, and offer them some samples? What kind of event could your audience be interested in and are you able to put together an event of interest? Events give us many opportunities to ask questions and listen with time, patience, and focus.

5. Virtual meetings

Tip number four, to listen well to your audience, is to see them again in person.

We are very used to communicating virtually, but the impact of face-to-face communication is still one of the most valuable. There is nothing that can be done to replace face-to-face interactions.

Taking that into account, we must establish times and moments when we look for that interaction. Ask yourself the following…

Where do your audience spend their free and/or work hours? Can you also go to those places to chat, show them your products, and offer them some samples? What kind of event could your audience be interested in and are you able to put together an event of interest? Events give us many opportunities to ask questions and listen with time, patience, and focus.

6. The more fun the better

Do you like to take a quiz to see what kind of person you are? Do you get hooked on those interactive proposals that promise to reveal something about your personality if you just answer a few questions? People are looking for fun. The more fun your way of reaching them is, the more connected they are going to be.

So…

 How about a quiz that reveals the best product based on the needs of each person answering the questions?

How about an Instagram story that asks people to rate a product using stars?

How about a one-minute educational video that explains how to use your product in an easy way?

How about a free, interactive PDF that sends people to different pages on your website, based on the buttons they choose to press?

Get creative and take note of the results. If you make your audience smile, they will give you more feedback with more enthusiasm and you will be even closer to converting them into loyal customers. Test it!