Have you ever heard anyone say “I want to have a conversation with a brand”? Of course not. But this may soon change with chat apps steadily climbing popularity charts, becoming a widely sought after digital Marketing and content distribution platform. Don’t believe us? Digest this – out of the top 10 global mobile apps, chat apps have the highest number of users as well as session span. Unsurprisingly, 2015 was touted as the year of chat apps and it was indeed so. And who can forget Facebook’s iconic acquisition of the widely popular WhatsApp for a whopping USD 19 million!

Conversation Marketing has truly arrived and moved beyond being just the hottest new buzzword. In the age of the customer, brands would rather focus and even pay to converse one-on-one with fewer consumers than spend precious dollars tooting their horn to the masses. And rightly so – as opposed to 70% probability of selling to an existing customer, that of doing so to a new prospect is a mere 5-20% and loyal customers are worth up to 10 times their first purchase.

The Future is Social But is Your Organization So?

Having a solid Social Media strategy is all great but most organizations have only a partial view of what a social future entails. Social media is only a tool, becoming a social organization however requires a 360-degree shift in the way you think, operate, and do business. It’s about putting people first – both your internal ones i.e. employees and vendors, and external i.e. your customers. Only when a brand is authentic, human, and spontaneous can it expect to cut through the clutter of mindless marketing an average consumer faces every second today.

Why it’s Better to Select, Not Accumulate

The above is the cornerstone of conversation marketing. Ian Lurie, author of Conversation Marketing: Common Sense Internet Strategies advises businesses on how to select their customers right rather than accumulating them through mass marketing, hoping some will make a purchase.

How to Get Your One-on-One Act Right

Getting intimate with your customers is no cakewalk. 70% of any brand’s social media followers remain silent throughout their lifetime. Follow these 5 pointers to get into the skin of your character – that of a smooth talker, albeit a genuine one.

 #1 Know the opposite party: For you to be making the right moves, having a thorough knowledge of your audience – persona, preferences, mood, milestone events, etc. is imperative.

#2 Dress the part: Design your content/website/blog posts attractively

#3 Reach out to connect: Invest in building a thriving social media presence to meaningfully connect with your target audience.

#4 Talk smart, promote modestly: Showcase your authenticity and thought leadership without sounding overtly promotional.

#5 Monitor and adjust: Listen to social media conversations and leverage the insights to deepen customer connect, address queries, and build a loyal fan base.

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