The initial reaction to #socialchat was generally positive. It certainly got people thinking about it, especially in relation to socialchat skills and how it can be or should be done.
So I am continuing with my experiment. The infographic below explores some tips into how to improve your socialchat skills.
Now I'm sure you already know how to do many of these. But I would like you to think about how to implement them in a socialchat scenario.
And here's some code you could paste into your own posts (via the text mode) if you want to share this Infographic with your readers.
Find your audience's triggers
What do your readers or followers like to talk about? What is important to them? Remember it's time to put yourself on the back-burner, it's all about focusing on them from now on.
Do some research to find out whether your audience reacts to fluffy kittens or fire-spouting robots, or responds better with references to food or car parts. Whatever floats their boat, be ready to respond to them appropriately to give the impression you totally understand them.
Get acquainted with the vocabulary they use, what time of day they are more likely to be online, whether they prefer long or short posts, and how well they respond to criticism or argument suggestions. If they're not naturally garrulous, you may need to have to hand several tips to help the conversation along.
Create a community feel
Socialchat skills include the need to make your readers or followers feel part of the bigger picture. When they communicate with you, they become members of your exclusive club. You welcome them into your safe haven, where they will have access to stuff others won't be privy to.
This is all about making your audience feel special, safe and secure. Just like a clique, you will be able to reference certain things and expect the majority of them to understand. And these 'members' will automatically explain what's going on to newer visitors, so they don't feel left out.
This is also part of getting your readers and followers to know, like and trust you. Because once you've succeeded, the quality and ease of commenting will steadily improve, and become more entertaining for everyone involved.
Use emotional cues
The social world revolves around emotions. Only brain-dead people aren't affected by them. Therefore another of your socialchat skills would be to tune into your readers' or followers' emotions, and use them to your advantage.
People respond to content they can relate to, and this is usually because there's an emotion attached to it. Has what they have just read made them sad or angry, laugh or agree wholeheartedly? If they can dredge up a similar experience from their memories, they will be more likely to respond.
Find out which emotions have the desired effect you are looking for in your readers or followers, and use these in your social interaction. Capitalise upon these emotions to enhance a conversation or spark a discussion, which can only increase your popularity factor and the platform you are engaging in.
Make a game out of it
The gaming industry has grown tremendously. It seems that people like to participate in activities with others. So why not the same in socialchat? Flex your socialchat skills by making your social interaction fun, a must-do activity, something that should be shared with friends.
This could be as simple as creating a competition or making a quiz. Get the participants to guess the answer to a particular question. Make a big deal of the winner, even by giving away prizes. Others should be inspired enough to want to interact again next time.
You could make this process more worthwhile by offering a solution to a problem, or helping someone in need. As long as your readers or followers can relate to this, and can see how it can benefit them or someone they know, they will be more willing to participate.
Share experiences
Socialchatting is about talking to people. This could be with someone you are already connected with, or a new potential consumer. And the best way to get familiar is to share experiences, as well as asking them for their views and opinions.
This is much easier if you are willing to humanise yourself. Show your vulnerable side. Reveal your emotions. Be as transparent as possible. This is not a sign of weakness, but bringing yourself down to the same level as those you are communicating with.
Find something you have in common. Part of your socialchat skills is to stimulate a mutual understanding with your ideal readers or followers which they can relate to. Once they feel comfortable enough, they will share knowledge, thoughts and opinions which will benefit everybody.
Continue the conversation
A lot of people are nervous about socially interacting. Not everybody has the gift of the gab and can prattle on for ages. Many will need encouragement to come out of their shells.
Whatever contribution is offered to the conversation, it's important to make the best of it. How can you continue on what has been said? Which question would encourage more information or a further explanation? Never dismiss a poor or lowly response, you don't know how difficult it may have been to produce it.
Having a positive attitude is definitely one of your socialchat skills. This all contributes towards encouragement, which is needed if socialchatting is to thrive. Remember to give praise and appreciation where it is due, as this is a first stepping stone towards building a relationship with your readers and followers.
Can you add some socialchat skills to this list?
#Socialchat is a new concept for me. It may not be for others. If this the case for you, can you share your versions of socialchat skills which we could all benefit from?
Also can you share these posts with your friends, and ask for their opinions? The more feedback I get about this, the more it will help me to continue my idea.
Can you give me your responses in the comment box below? We would all love to hear from you.
- How to generate inbound leads using social chat - 21 August 2023
- 10 steps to get qualified leads using social chat - 14 August 2023
- How to encourage comments through participation - 4 August 2023
Some great tips here. Making me think I need to reimplement some of them
Thank you for your comment Candace. What a wonderful blog you have! And, of course, social chat is perfect to go with a cup of tea!
Did you see the Twitter furore about “Sue, you’re shouting at tea”? All about being kind on the web, which is what The Commenting Club advocates most of all.