Face2Face on the Web

What Makes You Human on the Web?

"Being human" online is hard to define, isn't it? Sometimes we "connect" with a company online, but we have a hard time describing why it seems approachable. When searching Google for ideas for this chapter, I had to try a few different phrases before I discovered what I really wanted to find. First, I tried being human on the web, which didn't get me too far (bad search syntax, David — bad, bad, bad). Then I tried being real online, which led to being authentic online.

Scanning through the results of those searches, I finally started finding content that resonated. Even then, I had to wade through some highly irrelevant content. For example, I found some "great" articles on how to figure out if the prospects found on dating sites were being real or if they were lying. I also found at least one clothing store that wanted you to "be real" with your fashion sense — and it also wanted you to buy its pricey, glitzy clothing.

But wading through all that information was helpful, because I also found some really useful discussions on using an authentic voice online, or how not to use corporate speak. That was more like it.

So, back to my original question: What makes you human on the web?

Being "human" or "real" in an online setting is an emerging idea, especially for organizations and businesses that can't hire experts to connect with customers online. For these organizations, the idea of being real online can be rather daunting. There are still organizations that don't have a web presence or are just starting out in representing themselves online. For those organizations, just being online is challenging enough. When you add in the even newer concept of social media, or of marketing as a conversation, that becomes even more daunting.

All of this is very new. For some small businesses, even thinking about a computer that connects to more than their inventory database is a pretty new concept. When you combine the fear of the unknown with open internet access and customers leaving potentially nasty comments everywhere, interacting online can be a scary new world for some.

Transform Your Organization Into a Face2Face Organization

How can we take on this online challenge? For starters, let's examine three general concepts of being human, or authentic, in online settings. These three concepts — listening, authentic communication, and sharing in a community — are already implemented in our stores or offices, so let's apply them online, too.

Listening

I listed listening first, because this is the very first thing you should do for your business in an online setting. We'll cover listening in more detail in Chapter 5, but let's introduce the concept now — it's that important!

You've probably always listened to customer comments in your business (or should have, anyway). When a business creates a new product to sell, someone first does market research to gauge interest. When a nonprofit organization introduces a new service, this is often because constituents have voiced a need. In each case, the organization listens to its current or potential customers, offers a product or service, and then listens to feedback about the offering and adjusts it accordingly.

What about those times when a customer enters a business or restaurant or library, has a less-than-stellar experience, and wants to complain? Same thing happens: You listen to the complaint. Good organizations will cut through the frustration, listen to the core of the customer's criticism or complaint, apologize, and try to make the customer's experience a better one. If other customers have similar complaints, the organization will probably work to fix the issue. That is basic customer service, right? But it's also basic listening.

This type of listening also works great on the web — possibly even better than in-person listening. Why? Because on the web, you have multiple ways to "eavesdrop" on your customers and learn their thoughts about your product or service!

Some of your customers are probably using social media tools like Twitter or Facebook, or have created personal blogs. Each of these online social tools creates a voice for people. If those people are talking about you, your business or organization, and the stuff you do, guess what? You can easily "listen in" on the conversation taking place and can quickly gauge what your customers think about you — without having to wait for them to come to your store or office space. Simply set up search alerts for your organization's name (learn how in Chapter 5).

This type of listening can get visual and audible, too, through the use of online photo and video services. Want to see someone unbox your new product? Go directly to YouTube or Flickr. Want to see someone complain about the same product he just unboxed, after discovering something he doesn't like about it? Or praise your new product because it's just the thing he needed? You can see all of these types of things online.

Get started on listening by setting up searches, subscribing to some RSS feeds, and creating some email alerts. Your customers have much to say, but they're not necessarily saying it directly to you. When they talk about you, they are talking to each other — to other customers. You need to be in on those conversations, too.

Authentic Communication

After you have created some listening channels, you simply need to respond. But there's a caveat — you need to respond authentically! I like what Taylor Hill at Harkins Creative says about creating an authentic voice:

1. Be a giver. Give of yourself by providing good solid information about what you do or the products you represent. If you think it's the same old information that everyone else is giving away then put your own spin to it with a good true story or analogy. Don't be afraid of putting yourself and your company out there; sometimes it's the only way to get the conversation going.

2. Be yourself. Everyone is unique, and it's that uniqueness that enables each of us to see something from our own point of view. Giving your take on something should always be conversational even if it is different or even confrontational. As long as you always remember that this is a conversation with one or more people who are all a part of the exchange, then civil discourse can take place.

Taylor defines being a "giver" as providing good, solid information about your products or services — or even your...