The vast amount of content generated complicated, and much, the ability to assimilate all the information and messages that are issued. Every minute about 347,000 tweets are published, made 2,000 check-ins on Foursquare, or 510.00 Facebook comments Who has the capacity to cover both?

This only hinders communication, causing the distance between consumers and brands. In fact, many companies are not aware of everything that happens in the different channels of communication and social media about your business, product or brand. But much more serious is that as a result and the lack of a strategy, 95% of the comments of users on social networks like Facebook are left unanswered and 97% of the tweets directly go unnoticed, no trademarks they see them.

Other data also reveals us as average, 88% of small businesses and retail wasted 88% of the feedback from its customers. 39% does not monitor the social conversation and less than half of the issues raised by customers on Twitter are answered within 24 hours. Only 24% of small businesses use social networks as a tool to connect with their customers, in a structured way, following a strategy.

So Are we ready for active listening and act accordingly?

Without any doubt, active listening is undoubtedly the new way of understanding the consumer. There are many companies who hear the user and receive their messages but who really listens and responds to your needs? We live in a consumer society with a host of products and services and where the concept of “brand loyalty” has changed and consumer demand has grown markedly.

It is about knowing our audience and potential customers find our target to address him properly, know their tendencies, habits, their perception towards our own brand, they say it, as our competition acts, etc …. in short, gathering information through analysis and monitoring.

We know that many consumers express their complaints, and they like to do in ‘loud’, ie openly and bluntly that they be given the necessary attention and others may be witnesses of their right to express their dissatisfaction, showing evidence of their bad experience. In the media and social networks this usually happens similarly quite often, the difference is that the scope of any manifest this type acquires a greater impact and outreach, that when we go directly and privately to the company, which can also impact directly on the image and reputation of our own business.

To meet this challenge, we must understand the shape and the channels acting customers and consumers, and as express their opinions and perceptions about brands through the media and social networks. To develop an effective strategy in social media, it is important to be aware of the opinion that the audience has of us, to know how to attack the middle.You need to locate where talk about our brand and what is said about it, why, how they agree and how users disagree. Something that also have to do is, once located our target in different channels, thoroughly analyze the activity of the audience and the level of presence of the same in them.

However, we must bear in mind that “listening” involves many different aspects that we know how to manage with the aim of optimizing positive results through our actions and behaviors to achieve well, greater confidence, interest or attention. That is why when defining a strategy for Social Media, active listening is considered the most reliable source of information.

However, the question is not reduced to simply “put your ear.” In addition to knowing how to perform a tracking process analysis, monitoring and active listening where brands become the center of discussions and conversations, companies must themselves have the ability to act accordingly, also willing to make changes and able to provide effective solutions.

Trust, another door closed for not listening

Some of the main advantages of “listening”, we find that through it we can increase the self-esteem of the “speaker” who traspolado the stage of social networks, customer or consumer, could lead to an increase confidence to have the perception that they are actually being not only heard, but that their views are being taken into consideration and are getting the attention they demand. On the other hand, another of the great advantages is that those who know how to listen carefully, learn and indirectly draw on valuable information that can later be applied to other aspects of the business.

Similarly, sure we can remember how we felt when we realize that the person you always hear not perceived well. The consumer needs to know that you are listening to build your web of trust and credibility with the brand. When we respond immediately to a client we are saying “I’m listening, I’m here” what breeds confidence immediately.

Although perhaps prove a difficult or not we can control everything that people say about our brand work, we can control the quality and timming of our responses.