Keep in Touch

In a world that seems driven by initial monetary gain, it's refreshing to work with people who want to be in touch with their consumers, which in our industry can also mean fans. We at MCN have the opportunity to work with some really amazing people on a daily basis, and I have the pleasure of working with one manager who recently put forth the extra effort to give a little bit back to a fan…

A few weeks ago, I took note of a fan who was being remarkably helpful on the message boards of one of our artist's sites. He was answering tons of questions for us, referring other fans to our customer service team when necessary and was ultimately helping maintain a positive environment on our site; if you have ever worked in any type of customer service atmosphere, you know how huge this is.

When I let the artist's manager know about this fan, she instantly suggested we do something special for him as a way of showing our appreciation. Bingo! We were on the same wavelength. We reached out to the fan to let him know he would be receiving a little surprise from the artist and the artist's team. This probably goes without saying, but the fan was pumped, surprised and very appreciative.

That fan has continued to be helpful since, and we've actually seen a couple of other fans start to jump in and answer questions where they can as well. 

As managers, marketers, salespeople, etc., we work hard to engage a consumer/fan long enough for them to buy the product we're selling. But what happens after that? The scenario above is a great reminder of the following: 

1. A lot of good can be done by simply staying in touch with your consumers after the initial sell.

2. What might seem like a small gesture to you (i.e. sending out some free swag) can make a huge impact on your consumer(s). 

3. Consistency is key. Fans seeing our customer service team, as well as other fans, on the message boards responding to questions and concerns helps to generate a healthy environment for everyone involved - the fans, our company, the artist and the artist's brand.

So don't be hesitant to reach out to your consumers, and always remember that a little extra can go a long way.