Getting Your Online Audience to Respond

keyboard-coffee-writing
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

If you want to be a success when it comes to social media, the way to do it is with high-quality, passionate audience members. The more active and interactive traffic you have, the greater your chances of succeeding.

A business plan of action

The first thing that you need to do when it comes to building a successful social media campaign is to have a sound business plan in place. Your plan should include short-term, easily achievable goals and long-term, broader goals. Of course, it is very important to remember that the planning part of your campaign is only the beginning.

The next step is to identify and really become acquainted with your audience, once you have identified them. It is not enough to simply know who they are. You need to understand them from the inside out. Their needs, wants and goals and objectives need to be your needs, wants and goals and objectives. A great way to initially focus on them is by frequenting the same social networks. Another one of your points of focus should also be how you can inspire your audience and make them want to take some sort of positive action in your direction.

Getting your audience to take action

Once you truly understand your audience well, you need to figure out how to communicate with them in a way that compels them to take action for you and your business. Please bear in mind that not all actions will be the same. It all depends on where your relationship is with the particular individual. For example, if one of the people with whom you share a relationship is just starting to understand what you are offering, you may want to entice them into visiting your blog and “liking” it on your Facebook fan page. Your only goal should be to get them to want to move to the next phase of interaction with you, whatever that is. It is all about building trust and credibility with you and the other person. So, how do you get your audience members to be inspired enough to take some action on your behalf? You need to ask yourself a series of questions that will help you to achieve this goal.

  • How does your audience think? It is important for you to identify where they are emotionally, psychologically, physically, professionally and financially. What sorts of stresses are they dealing with? If you can figure out what is in their heads, you can most likely connect with them successfully.
     
  • What does your audience need? You need to make sure that your offerings can fill a need for them (in business or in life).
     
  • What does your audience want? Of course, wants and needs are not the same. What they want is something that they would like to have but it is also something that they can live without. If you give them what they want, you will be making them feel good about themselves (and ultimately, about you).
     
  • What can you offer them that would make their lives easier? First and foremost, always remember to connect with your audience on a human level. It can’t always be just about business. Nobody likes to feel like a number. Your offerings need to make them feel better about their own situation and to decrease whatever pressure they are experiencing.
     
  • How can you help them to become more efficient? Your products and/or services need to help them to become a greater success in their business. The more you are able to align your offerings with your audience’s business needs, the greater your chances of a successful business relationship will be with them.
     
  • Can your offerings help them to improve the quality of their lives? If you truly understand who they are and what they need, you will be able to help them to improve their lives in some way through what you are selling them.
     
  • Can you relate to your audience members? Do you have enough in common with your audience members to be able to relate to them? You need to get close enough to them to make them understand that they are not alone in whatever they are doing (and struggling). The closer you can connect with them, the stronger your relationship will be.

Conclusion

Your main goal (always) is to make such a positive contribution that your audience’s lives have improved because of it. The way that you contribute is by offering compelling, valuable, insightful, helpful content that in some way enhances the lives of other people around you. The relationships that you share with your audience must be nurtured and maintained regularly. Before you know it, they will be taking action on your behalf all over the place.

We are pleased to provide you with the insightful comments contained herein. Would you like a free assessment of your online presence?

Let's Have Coffee

Author

  • Carolyn Cohn

    Carolyn Cohn is the Co-Founder & Chief Creative Services of CompuKol Communications. Carolyn manages CompuKol’s creative and editorial department, which consists of writers and editors. Her weekly blogs are syndicated globally. She has decades of editorial experience in online editing, and editing books, journal articles, abstracts, and promotional and educational materials. Carolyn earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo.

8 Responses

  1. Dr. Asa Don Brown says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Non-Fiction Writers
    Discussion: Getting Your Online Audience to Respond

    Dear Carolyn

    I wholeheartedly agree, while I remain a novice I have hopes of reaching that pinnacle point of success.

    Thank you for making this valid statement.

    Respectfully,

    Dr. Asa Don Brown

    Posted by Dr. Asa Don Brown, Ph.D., C.C.C., N.C.C.M.

  2. AL Levenson says:

    Thanks for your succinct, apt post.  AL

  3. Mike Voyce says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Books and Writers
    Discussion: Getting Your Online Audience to Respond

    I agree with your article, I'm impressed by your website. If I had more business than a humble newly published novelist I would seek your services.
    Posted by Mike Voyce

  4. Margie (Marguerite) McCurry, Ph.D. says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Books and Writers
    Discussion: Getting Your Online Audience to Respond

    Excellent thinking, Carolyn…appreciate your insights. All authors should read this one!
    Posted by Margie (Marguerite) McCurry, Ph.D.

  5. Michael Stuertz says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Social Media University Online
    Discussion: Getting Your Online Audience to Respond

    Getting your customer to take action is huge. I've recently started with a company that has a great product. They have put out good information. Unfortunately they have never asked their customers to do anything. Their results are obviously lacking. A call to action is a must and will be a part of every new communication. Thanks for the information.
    Posted by Michael Stuertz

  6. Olga Carroll says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Medical Education Communications and Pharmaceutical Marketing
    Discussion: Getting Your Online Audience to Respond

    I agree + if you offer services the Clients need and/or goods the audience is looking for, you are a succesful online business!
    Posted by Olga Carroll, Ph.D.

  7. Deanna Lohnes says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Business Writers of America
    Discussion: Getting Your Online Audience to Respond

    I agree 100%. The trick is getting that high level of audience engagement. I've seen a lot of tactics: offer freebies, pull on their heart-strings, high quality content…
    In your experience what works to increase engagement?
    Posted by Deanna Lohnes

  8. Kent says:

    Call to action wording is a must for audience to take action. 🙂