Customers connect with businesses online for a number of reasons – exclusive deals and new announcements are followed by interesting content and product news. However, regardless of why they have connected with you, they expect human interaction. The main reason a customer would break social relations with your brand is too much forced marketing.

If you’re looking to get customers engaged with your human brand, forget about promotional products or lazy automated tweets - put your CEO on the front lines. Who better to humanize the company than the person that runs the show? There are a number of tactics you can use to make your CEO relatable and accessible, from Twitter to YouTube and Google+.


Be Seen

What is the best way to make your CEO relatable? Let him be seen. Whether in photos, videos, or on the news, customers can put a face to the brand. Electronista.com suggests, “The days of being detached from customers is over. We have reached an age where everyone, including the very top executives at a company, must be at least somewhat accessible.” How can your CEO be seen?

• Pinterest board: Create a Pinterest board dedicated only to your CEO – make the banner a photo of them, and then have all the pins relate to their interests, etc. Make customers feel like they truly know the CEO and company.

• YouTube Videos: YouTube is best used for business in the form of product videos – so why not have your CEO do it? Ultimately, who should know the product better than them?

Be Heard

If a phone call comes in, it goes straight to the customer care center. Even if the problem is escalated, a manger or the head of that department will be called in. So, how can your CEO be heard, then? Social media is a great platform for them to speak and interact with customers in a way that they’ll appreciate.

• Respond to emails: Getting a direct and personal response from the CEO allows their voice to come through, making them seem accessible and connected.

• Host a hangout: Google+ is still a rather untapped business resource. One great feature is hangouts. Plan it in conjunction with the launch of new product or service.

Be Chatty

When customers engage with you on Facebook or Twitter, someone from your social media department responds. It’s likely that the CEO has no idea what is happening on these social pages, much less be involved. Getting your CEO engaged gives customers another reason to keep close watch on your social media profiles rather than abandoning the connection.

• CEO comments: Make a point to specify CEO written comments. A simple “Thanks for getting in touch – CEO’s name, CEO,” will do. Getting a response back from the CEO will do wonders for your word of mouth marketing.
• Hold a Twitter chat: Twitter chats are a great way to be heard – announce the hash tag, time and date, and watch tweeters fly to the scene.  Allow a Q&A about the CEO, the company, or a topic chosen by customers.

Many businesses are using social media, but without success. By maintaining a simply marketing-based stance, you are losing out on the potential connections which increase brand identity and loyalty. Bringing your CEO to the forefront shows customers you are human, involved and committed to them.

Author Bio: Jessica Sanders is an avid small business writer touching on topics that range from social media to telemarketing. She is a professional blogger and web content writer for ResourceNation.com.

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