Construction Chat is a weekly chat on Thursday mornings at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time. If you’re free, we’d love you to join us.
Thanks to Tess Wittler for the topic suggestion:
@RigginsConst Maybe "Tips for Listening on Social" and include your "favorites" trick? How to make it efficient (I still struggle)
— Tess Wittler (@TessWittler) November 4, 2015
Twitter turned their favorites (star) into likes (hearts) this week.
Are your Twitter favorites (star) now likes (hearts)? Screenshot: pic.twitter.com/qOUuenjrj1
— Riggins Construction (@RigginsConst) November 3, 2015
Some of us weren’t that happy. Gifford Associates pointed out that it’s not very professional looking.
@RigginsConst I thought they might come across as 'cutesy' for business-minded tweeps. But not many images represent 'liking' something.
— Gifford Associates (@GiffordOttawa) November 3, 2015
I’m not that happy but Twitter didn’t ask me.
These people are really upset Twitter lost ‘favs’ https://t.co/B5J6tEQUL8 pic.twitter.com/XTkvDDuhel
— Fortune (@FortuneMagazine) November 3, 2015
But on to the topic and recap.
Listening:
As marketers, sometimes we do a lot of the talking. Imagine if you went to a party and you never allowed anyone else to speak. If all you did was talk about your troubles and triumphs, people may be interested for a while, but at the next party your tales may be actively avoided.
Another scenario is your stories aren’t relevant for the crowd. They struggle with putting food on the table and you’re complaining about reading a book on the beach. Wrong topic for the wrong crowd. Change the demographics and your complaint is heard and empathy outpours. We call this being relevant.
A key factor to social media relevance is listening and conversation. I mean, this is how you really know if yourre relevant. Yes?
So, how do we optimize our social media efforts to factor in listening?
The Questions & Highlighted Responses:
Q1. How can you listen on social media?
A1) Use Twitter Lists to follow important customers, industry publications & influencers, partners, and vendors. #ConstChat
— CapitalTristate (@CapitalTristate) November 5, 2015
A1. you can also respond to MT, RT, faves to show you are listening on #socialmedia #constchat
— Feeney, Inc. (@FeeneyInc) November 5, 2015
A1. Great question…most contractors don't even answer the phone when they're working. Listening is the new selling. #constchat
— Darren Slaughter (@DarrenSlaughtr) November 5, 2015
A1: Take a moment before posting/responding. THINK about what you're putting out there, and how it relates to others. #constchat
— Floors To Your Home (@FTYHFlooring) November 5, 2015
A1. Use hashtags to search for topics, reply to questions. #ConstChat
— Window Works CA (@WindowWorksCA) November 5, 2015
A1 On listening, pay attention. If someone mentions something personal, ask about it. #ConstChat
— Liftec Forklifts (@LiftecForklifts) November 5, 2015
A1. How many will answer the phone on a job site? Or will they wait to get back to the office/home? Thats my point. #constchat
— Darren Slaughter (@DarrenSlaughtr) November 5, 2015
A1 LinkedIn Groups, blog comments, Twitter lists & hashtags. You have to find where your prospects/clients are first #ConstChat
— Construction Data (@cdcnews) November 5, 2015
A1. Show human emotion & be engaged. #constchat
— Zircon Corporation (@ZirconTools) November 5, 2015
A1. be sure to really read what is being posted..read where and what they post on every platform..listen #ConstChat
— Coleen Dolan (@CCS_Estimating) November 5, 2015
A1) I listen by using Sprout Social which is great for what we're doing #constchat
— Fabuwood Cabinetry (@Fabuwood) November 5, 2015
A1. Another great way to listen…spend less time in forums! #constchat
— Darren Slaughter (@DarrenSlaughtr) November 5, 2015
Q2. Do you use lists to separate demographics?
By the way, my post on why and how to use Twitter Lists is here.
A2: Mastering the List is next on my Twitter goals. Need to get on that. #constchat
— Floors To Your Home (@FTYHFlooring) November 5, 2015
A2: Yes, esp on Twitter #ConstChat
— Tess Wittler (@TessWittler) November 5, 2015
A2 I like to check out the lists that others have added us to, not necessarily ones I created #ConstChat
— Construction Data (@cdcnews) November 5, 2015
A2. Twitter lists are important for listening. #ConstChat
— Window Works CA (@WindowWorksCA) November 5, 2015
A2) There's no need to separate, the program does it for us, on a very consistent basis. (It shows age, gender, and more) #constchat
— Fabuwood Cabinetry (@Fabuwood) November 5, 2015
A2 I use multiple lists to track segments on #Twitter — like the players in #3PL https://t.co/nh4t78CMpW #ConstChat
— Liftec Forklifts (@LiftecForklifts) November 5, 2015
A2. Not yet, but lists are on my to-do list. I need to dedicate a day to creating some. 🙂 #constchat
— JorgMaterialHandling (@MaterialHndling) November 5, 2015
A2) Twitter Lists are critical to listening on #SocialMedia. Follow the tweets of those you want to see & nothing more! #ConstChat
— CapitalTristate (@CapitalTristate) November 5, 2015
A2. Every contractor should have a location-based hashtag list! #constchat
— Darren Slaughter (@DarrenSlaughtr) November 5, 2015
Q3. Do you have Google alerts?
A3. Yep I get alerts all day! #ConstChat
— Coleen Dolan (@CCS_Estimating) November 5, 2015
A3: Absolutely! They're great. #constchat
— Floors To Your Home (@FTYHFlooring) November 5, 2015
A3. Yes. but it gives a false sense of security. Most convos (good or bad) go on behind paywalls or logins. #constchat
— Darren Slaughter (@DarrenSlaughtr) November 5, 2015
A3. Helps keep me up to date on whats going on and whats going on with my business…#ConstChat
— Coleen Dolan (@CCS_Estimating) November 5, 2015
A3) Of course! #kitchens #cabinets you name it I have it #ConstChat
— Fabuwood Cabinetry (@Fabuwood) November 5, 2015
A3. Need to do more Google alerts. #ConstChat
— Window Works CA (@WindowWorksCA) November 5, 2015
A3. A few but I need to change them up to make them more useful. #constchat
— JorgMaterialHandling (@MaterialHndling) November 5, 2015
A3 Yep, Google Alerts are great, also use Feedly and Flipboard to listen to the industry as a whole #ConstChat
— Construction Data (@cdcnews) November 5, 2015
A3. please hold while I Google Google alerts #toomanyGoogles #constchat
— Feeney, Inc. (@FeeneyInc) November 5, 2015
A3 Never used them, sounds like I should. Learning a lot today. #learning #Constchat
— National Lift Truck (@NationalLiftTrk) November 5, 2015
Q4. Do you listen to people talk about your competitors?
A4. I listen real hard to those! #constchat
— Coleen Dolan (@CCS_Estimating) November 5, 2015
A4: When one of our competitors hit the news last spring, I scoured the Internet to read what customers were saying. #constchat
— Floors To Your Home (@FTYHFlooring) November 5, 2015
A4 Understanding competition is imperative. They are necessary. (what would Coke be w/o Pepsi?) #constchat
— CGI Container Sales (@CGIContainer) November 5, 2015
A4. We listen to convo's about window film, for sure. #ConstChat
— Window Works CA (@WindowWorksCA) November 5, 2015
A4. Every once in a while I'll do a search and see what people are saying. I follow some competitors as well. #constchat
— JorgMaterialHandling (@MaterialHndling) November 5, 2015
A4. Yes. I find it quite informative. #constchat
— Hope Williams (@HopeworksDesign) November 5, 2015
Q5. What kind of ratio of tweets / replies shows someone is listening say on Twitter?
A5. I would say at least twice as many RT/MTs as Tweets shows you are listening. #constchat
— Feeney, Inc. (@FeeneyInc) November 5, 2015
A5. There should be some conversation happening. Not all tweets 24/7. #ConstChat
— Window Works CA (@WindowWorksCA) November 5, 2015
A5 Definitely more replies/RTs/MTs than tweets show that you're listening I think. #constchat
— Hope Williams (@HopeworksDesign) November 5, 2015
A5: Trying to do more replys and comments lately. Some days better than others. #ConstChat
— Tess Wittler (@TessWittler) November 5, 2015
A5 It's always good to thank someone or to start a convo with someone sharing your content or retweeting you #constchat
— Construction Data (@cdcnews) November 5, 2015
A5. I think if at least half of your Twitter feed is mentions or replies it shows you're listening. Don't just talk "at" people. #constchat
— JorgMaterialHandling (@MaterialHndling) November 5, 2015
A5. My convos usually turn into debates…so..I try and not do that. 🙂 #constchat
— Darren Slaughter (@DarrenSlaughtr) November 5, 2015
A5. If someone DMs me to buy their stuff 5 minutes after we connect? I probably won't listen to them. #ConstChat
— Window Works CA (@WindowWorksCA) November 5, 2015
Q6. How can you listen offline?
A6. Listen to what people are saying. Be observant. Give people your full attention if you're meeting with them. #constchat
— JorgMaterialHandling (@MaterialHndling) November 5, 2015
A6 I once struck up a conversation with a GC on vacation in the Dominican #constchat
— Construction Data (@cdcnews) November 5, 2015
A6: The Golden Rule: treat everyone how you want to be treated. #constchat
— Floors To Your Home (@FTYHFlooring) November 5, 2015
A6. Does offline include non-social things like email? I use industry and non-industry newsletters to keep up #constchat
— Feeney, Inc. (@FeeneyInc) November 5, 2015
A6: I read industry pubs (even though they are the online version 'cause no one prints anymore) #ConstChat
— Tess Wittler (@TessWittler) November 5, 2015
A6: Often I learn of trends, industry issues that spark conversations with contractors #ConstChat
— Tess Wittler (@TessWittler) November 5, 2015
A6. Treat people how they want to be treated. #ConstChat
— Window Works CA (@WindowWorksCA) November 5, 2015
Q7. What are your listening tips?
A7. LISTEN! Don't just pretend to listen! <I'm a bit passionate about this..#constchat
— Coleen Dolan (@CCS_Estimating) November 5, 2015
A7: Listen with your whole self. Your to-do list can wait. #constchat
— Floors To Your Home (@FTYHFlooring) November 5, 2015
A7. Make it about them. Put yourself in their shoes. Don't wait for an opening to talk. #ConstChat
— Window Works CA (@WindowWorksCA) November 5, 2015
A7. When you're talking to someone, REALLY listen to them. Put away distractions (*cough* phone) & give them your full attention. #constchat
— JorgMaterialHandling (@MaterialHndling) November 5, 2015
A7) It's hard to listen while speaking or typing. #ConstChat
— CapitalTristate (@CapitalTristate) November 5, 2015
A7) When talking face to face, you don't speak in buzzwords What makes it conversational? For me that is how I listen socially #constchat
— Fabuwood Cabinetry (@Fabuwood) November 5, 2015
A7: All my work is virtual, so listening is a priority – phone to ear = nothing else matters. #ConstChat
— Tess Wittler (@TessWittler) November 5, 2015
A7 Occasionally ask a question or two so they know you are paying attention #constchat
— Construction Data (@cdcnews) November 5, 2015
A7. Don't look for someone/something more exciting while talking to someone. Pay attention. #ConstChat
— Window Works CA (@WindowWorksCA) November 5, 2015
A7. If only construction professionals could stop telling everyone what they can do ..just listen to what they need! #constchat
— Coleen Dolan (@CCS_Estimating) November 5, 2015
A7. In person, look for non-verbal cues. Are they following? Are they bored? #ConstChat
— Window Works CA (@WindowWorksCA) November 5, 2015
A7: Find a common ground. Even the most polar opposites can like the same sports team, or coffee shop, etc. #constchat
— Floors To Your Home (@FTYHFlooring) November 5, 2015
A7. they know when you are listening by the questions you follow up with! Boy do they love that! #constchat
— Coleen Dolan (@CCS_Estimating) November 5, 2015
How do you listen on social media?