Dominic  Basulto of the Washington Post uses four major occurences – the potenital closing of USPS branches, the push for Netflix to have customers download media instead of receive DVD’s, the rise of Google+  and the closing of Borders – to describe the end of communication as we know it.

One major conclusion he draws is that, as the physical nodes of our communication network begin to disappear forever, we are rushing to fill them with new digital nodes.”

People are inherently social and want to connect. As Basulto points out, people, (that means your potential clients/consumers) are looking to fill the gaps left by the shrinking physical outlets for communing. Does your company fill those gaps?  Do you engage your clients and provide ways to interact and feel a part of a community… or do you just talk at them?

Social media isn’t about just throwing up a Facebook page or a blog and telling your fans about you, it’s about communing with people.  Taking an interest in them, sharing things you think they might want to know and providing a place for them to engage with you, your brand and one another.

In the last post we touched on a basic communication strategy –  to build on that foundation, the two tips that I share with clients are:

  1. Ask questions – whether in a social post, while talking to the customer face to face, or in the form of a survey – engage with them to find out what they want, need and like about you.
  2. Fill the gap – Listen to their needs and provide a place for them to commune, to share, to brag and to celebrate your company and your brand.  Kroger recently decided to test this when they announced the elimination of supermarket self-service check out lanes in their new stores.

What communication point do you want to see improved, altered or added by one of the companies you interact with?