Dave Kerpen is a social entrepreneur and the author of "Likeable Social Media," a book about making social media more likable. He originally gained notoriety as the "Crunch 'n Munch guy" at sporting events in the Boston area.
Dave introduces the notion of "Likeable Social Media" to the corporate world in his most recent book. He discusses why customers expect more and how leaders should meet those expectations to build likable firms.
Dave's eleven tactics are shown with several instances throughout the book. So, here are eleven techniques for firms of all sizes to promote profit development and general success, along with helpful exercises (let's name them Kerpen's Calls).
Strategy 1: Listening
"God gave us two ears and one mouth... so use them in that ratio," we've all heard. But how many of us actually pay attention?
People open up and allow you to build a relationship when they believe they have been heard.
Listening to coworkers and employees aids in the development of a healthy culture that improves work and company by making people feel valued. Kerpen says that listening may be divided into four parts: investigation, feeling, closeness, and mirroring.
- Do your homework: Learn everything you can about the person or company you'll be meeting. If you're forewarned, you're forearmed.
- Feeling: How are you feeling about what they're saying? Are you interested in learning more? Bored? Are you exposing it with your body language?
- Intimacy: What can you offer to the dialogue that establishes a shared link based on your research? These should, ideally, be tied to your company's goals.
- Mirroring: As the name indicates, reflect what you're hearing back to yourself, not just with words but also with your body language.
KERPEN'S CALL:
Active listening should be practiced. Start with one meeting where you listen more than you speak. Then, only talk for 10% of the time (or less) at a meeting. Then attempt to converse for a full day at 10% or less. Take advantage of the additional time to take notes.
Strategy 2: Storytelling
Kerpen claims that people feel emotionally connected to you when you tell a fantastic tale and want to learn more about you. The same may be said about a business.
Your brand becomes more genuine and tangible when it tells a narrative. And when a client can relate, when they can say, "I get it, I've been there, I know how you feel," they purchase.
Stories are designed to stick, as the Heath Brothers say. According to Kerpen, your clients will remember your brand's narrative and what it means to them, not your financial stats or fancy product features.
Look for the tales in your industry. Look for moments that bring your brand to life and elicit an emotional response. They may come from your employees: What made them select your company? What do you offer that others don't?
KERPEN'S CALL:
Make a list of three tales you'd want to be able to tell about your company in three years. Set things in motion to make it happen.
Strategy 3: Authenticity
According to Kerpen, no one wants to be in a relationship with someone 'fake.' No one wants to do business with a firm that appears to be fake.
You must reaffirm your organization's principles to be a genuine leader. So, if you say, "The customer always comes first," make sure you mean it.
Customers will distrust your integrity and refuse to do business with you if you do not adhere to your basic beliefs.
Customers desire to communicate with a human rather than a computer or a cold, soulless corporation. So, from marketing to support to customer service, your organization must take on a human shape with a real and honest personality.
Consider how wonderful it is to be seen as genuine and human, according to Kerpen, because it gives you room for your shortcomings. Consider this as a powerful weapon in your customer complaint arsenal.
KERPEN'S CALL:
How much of your personality do you put on display while doing business? When was the last time you told a colleague or client about a personal experience? When was the last time you showed fear in the presence of your organization?
Strategy 4: Transparency
Kerpen says that taking a position and explaining why you took a certain decision builds trust and respect. It also stems from the concept that you should be open and honest about your behaviors, flaws, and obstacles.
Accountability necessitates transparency. This occurs when each employee accepts full responsibility for their job and conduct.
The truth cannot be concealed. It's pointless to even attempt. Instead of trying to hide the fact, embrace transparency to create an open, happy environment in which your organization may thrive.
Being transparent, according to Kerpen, does not have to imply being entirely open. As a general rule, the more information you provide, the more trust you'll earn.
So, if you're doing something wonderful, brag about it; if you're doing something you're not thrilled with, acknowledge it... and be honest about how you're trying to improve it.
If there are any elephants in the room, don't ignore them; your clients will appreciate it if you acknowledge their presence.
KERPEN'S CALL:
Make a list of three things your firm could improve and one way to communicate this with your staff and clients. Share it with others!
Strategy 5: Team Playing
According to Kerpen, having a working climate where employees feel appreciated, recognized, and respected for their efforts is essential to building a team of motivated, committed individuals.
Giving credit to your team, and not seeking any of your own, is an important part of being a great leader. When recognized, a great leader acknowledges that their accomplishment is the result of the efforts of others (and maybe just a little bit of luck).
Allowing others to take credit benefits everyone: your modesty is valued. It makes you more pleasant, and the person you compliment receives inspiration and a boost in confidence.
According to research, firms with closely linked strategies and cultures expand at a 30% faster pace than those without. Today, having a great product or service and strong financials isn't enough; long-term business success relies on a healthy culture.
KERPEN'S CALL:
Organize a team gathering and develop activities that your staff would love to do as a group. Choose three of your favorites and make one of them a part of your culture.
Strategy 6: Responsiveness
According to Kerpen, while we should value input, the real problem is responding honestly.
Let's face it: people feel wounded when their opinions are neglected, and they are thrilled when their views are heard. Consumers are no longer hesitant about voicing their thoughts because of the widespread use of social media technologies, and the response problem will only get more difficult.
What is the time frame for your response?
Of course, the faster, the better. You should strive harder if it takes you more than 24 hours to respond to a consumer. It's important to remember that it's about reacting to e-mails, Twitter feeds, and blog comments. It also entails not leaving a consumer on hold for more than 25 minutes. It involves really considering client input.
It's a simple formula: reply to the haters, and they'll become lovers. Respond to the lovers, and the love will increase. It's also important to remember that not replying is still a reaction. It's a statement that says, "We don't give a damn."
KERPEN'S CALL:
Make a list of five ways to respond to negative comments and utilize them to positively enhance your business.
Strategy 7: Adaptability
Kerpen thinks that a flexible organization can respond to its consumers' ever-changing demands. He reminds us that our clients don't stand still, and we shouldn't either. We can't expect to remain in today's volatile markets by standing still.
Kerpen further asserts that making a change in a corporation does not need a total reorientation of its vision or abandonment of its original objective.
Pivoting is a term used by Eric Ries in The Lean Startup, another Readitfor.me book, to describe the capacity to alter course while remaining committed to a certain goal. Business leaders who learn to pivot may embrace flexibility while straddling the past and future. They ride as they go through a build-measure-learn-adapt loop.
When it comes to responding to change, a company must be agile. It needs a leader who can adapt to the evolving circumstances in response to crucial outcomes and big opportunities.
According to Kerpen, if you keep your options open, listen, assess, and prepare to respond, you can modify on the fly and take advantage of fresh opportunities.
KERPEN'S CALL:
Gather your crew for a meeting. Have everyone in the room propose one method you can enhance the firm. Make a list of the ideas, choose one, and put it into action!
Strategy 8: Passion
Passion, according to Kerpen, is essential for success. It energizes us, gives us a sense of purpose, and helps us focus our efforts. It satisfies our needs and adds value to what we do. It elevates a job to a life's calling.
He says that a person's passion is discovered within them. We must figure out what drives and engages us. We must experiment to find out what motivates us, feeds our energy, and excites us at work and in life. The most crucial thing is that our enthusiasm is genuine; spirit cannot be manufactured.
Passion is viral, causing everyone who comes into contact with it to join in. It's possible that an overheard conversation between an engineer and a non-salesperson about how much they appreciate your product will lead to new business.
Customers are in the same boat. Is it possible for your passion to become theirs?
KERPEN'S CALL:
Make an effort to understand your consumers' passions. Recognize what they care about and how you may contribute to it.
Strategy 9: Surprise and Delight
According to statistics, 40% of clients quit a firm because of a bad experience. Kerpen recommends that generating wonderful encounters between your organization and your clients is what will make them want to do business with you again and again.
It's actually fairly simple to do. It's as simple as over-delivering and exceeding your clients' expectations to add the element of surprise to your business. We may use social media to surprise and please many customers.
When we provide excellent customer service or surprise a client with a free product, that consumer will share it with their friends and followers via Twitter, blogging, or "liking."
A prominent consumer with a huge, captive audience is especially significant in today's social media age. Because it is humanly impossible to surprise every one of your clients, we must choose those who will have the most influence in spreading the news and growing sales.
We need to offer them something to talk about if we want them to talk about your firm. And nothing generates greater positive word-of-mouth than surprise and delight customers.
KERPEN'S CALL:
Consider three recent wonderful customer service encounters. What are the similarities between them? Make a strategy to put those aspects into action in your company.
Strategy 10: Simplicity
Humans, according to Kerpen, desire simplicity. Simplicity is a competitive advantage in a world when we are bombarded with hundreds of items, relentless advertising, and continual media blitz.
Consumers don't want everything they may desire in the future; they simply want what they want right now. For simplicity to thrive, it must be more than a marketing or organizational plan; it must be a part of your company's culture that permeates all aspects of operations.
Simplicity isn't something that can be thrown into a firm; it requires someone to lead and fight for it. Simplicity must be practiced consistently until it becomes second nature to the firm.
"Don't be like the actor who decides to rap, and then launch a fashion line, a fragrance, and be a supermodel on the side. Figure out what you do best, and focus on that one thing." Kerpen says it plainly.
KERPEN'S CALL:
"What is unneeded in the firm or its operations?" you could wonder. What can we get rid of? What can we do to make this easier?"
Strategy 11: Gratefulness
According to Kerpen, we must consider business karma. Let's make it a habit to express real appreciation to people who deserve it. They will appreciate our gesture and be far more inclined to aid us when we need it.
When we thank others and express our thanks, they understand that they are respected and honored to be recognized. Therefore, they are eager to talk about us and are certain to do business with us in the future.
So, how can we express our gratitude? Make a throwback statement.
These days, an e-mail "thank you" isn't very noteworthy. E-mails are far too simple to compose and send. Although some individuals may enjoy getting them, others may despise the clutter in their inboxes.
However, no one minds a thank you card, and the time it takes to write and deliver is appreciated. In today's increasingly digital world, something is enchanting about tradition.
KERPEN'S CALL:
Don't send a thank-you e-mail to a client or colleague the next time you're about to do so. Instead, write them a thank you note.
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