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As Peter Drucker, business consultant and professor, once said: "The most important thing in communication is to listen to what we are told". What an apt phrase! We already know the importance of communication in the relationship with our clients, however, sometimes we forget that both parties must communicate in the same way, exchanging opinions and contrasting information.
This is one of the main characteristics of two-way communication that we will talk about in this post.
what is two-way communication?
Bidirectional communication, as its name suggests, is communication in two directions, i.e. there is a sender and a receiver and communication is from both parties to both parties. Not only does the sender communicate with the receiver, but both parties exchange information.
We can imagine that the sender is us, our company, and the receiver is the customer or the users who will become them.
The main difference between two-way communication and one-way communication is that, in the latter, information only flows in one direction, i.e. the sender launches the information and the receiver does not have the opportunity to ask questions, make suggestions, etc. This would be a unique form of communication for the sender.
Therefore, it is essential that the communication that our brand establishes with our clients is bidirectional, that is, that there is fluid communication on both sides. If we only send information on our part, without offering the client the possibility of showing us their point of view or asking us any questions that may arise, they will not feel very confident. This would be a big problem for us because, if we want to achieve customer loyalty, it is necessary for them to feel that they are part of the project.
Six benefits of two-way communication
As you may have already imagined, two-way communication offers many more possibilities of success since, by relating to the user and involving them, they will feel part of the project and, therefore, we will generate greater trust in them.
In addition to this, two-way communication offers other benefits for our company, six of which are listed below to better understand how implementing this communication model will improve our relationship with customers:
- Accuracy: The company can communicate with the customer in a precise way and know what the customer is looking for at all times from our brand, which will be easier for us when developing our commercial strategy.
- Transparency: There will be communication from both the sender and the receiver and both will be able to express their opinions and communicate clearly.
- Relevant information: Being able to receive feedback from the customer (communicator) will help the company (sender) to know relevant aspects about the suggestions to our products or services and will allow the company to solve the problems raised by consumers.
- Direct relationship: By using this type of communication with our customers, a direct relationship is created between them and our brand.
- Trust: Users feel more confident with our company because they feel that they have a place in the project and a voice to be able to give their opinion and share.
- Humanisation: When we talk to the client, listen to their point of view and allow them to ask us questions or make suggestions, we are showing our brand's face. This makes the user feel that behind our company there are people who are here to help them.
how can we achieve this communication with our customers?
In order to establish a two-way communication with our customers, it is important to use the appropriate communication channels to make it as fluid as possible. For example, the "conventional" media such as television, radio or the press (newspapers, magazines...) allow brands to advertise and communicate with customers, but in a unidirectional way. When we see an advertisement on TV or in the newspaper or hear the promotion of a company on the radio, we as customers are receiving the information, but we are not having the opportunity to communicate with them.
If, for example, we see an advertisement on TV for a moisturiser that may be attractive to us, but we have doubts about whether it will work for our skin type, we cannot ask the advertiser. Then, only one-way communication is taking place.
Incontrast, there are other means of communication that do allow two-way communication. And we have them at our fingertips. Even on our mobile phone. Yes, we are talking about social media.
Nowadays, social networks have become the main channel that people use to communicate, whether on a personal or work level. Therefore, brands must take advantage of this trend that is always on the rise to promote their products and that the user can communicate with us. In addition, the presence in social networks today is essential to grow our business.
how can we use social media to engage with our customers?
Although social networks are an essential tool for two-way communication with our customers, sometimes we do not know where to start, what language to use, how to show ourselves... Relax, it has happened to all of us.
Now, if we want to start using social networks, it is important to define within our company the figure of a community manager who will be responsible for "showing the face" of our brand and interacting with customers. In addition, it must have a strategic planning carried out by the figure of the social media manager. You can read our post The role of the social media manager to achieve SMART objectives talking about these two important figures for the company.
Finally, it is important that you take into account the following tips before starting your two-way communication with customers on social networks:
- Personalise your account: This can be done in many ways: putting an image to our account, talking in first person with customers, showing empathy with them...This will help customers to "humanise" our brand.
- Ask followers and conduct surveys: Taking advantage of the many tools that social networks such as Twitter or Instagram offer us, we can conduct surveys so that users can give their opinion or ask questions to show that we are closer to them.
- reply to followers: The key to two-way communication is that both parties can communicate, so it is important that you reply to messages sent to you by your followers.
- Take advantage of viral topics: Echo the topics that are current or that have become viral at that moment to show that you are closer to users and demonstrate that your brand is also up to date with all the latest news.
- use humour: Sometimes we will receive messages or criticisms through social networks as it is a channel that has no filters and users can show their dissatisfaction with our brand in any way. Don't give it more importance, use humour to communicate with them and be prudent.
Now that you have the necessary information, it's time to start communicating two-way with your customers and show them that your brand is there for them. What are you waiting for?
