Stop, Look, and Listen

Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side, but first he had to stop, look, and listen.

Stop. Look. Listen.

Those words have been engrained into my mind better than any Taylor Swift song that the radio insists on playing at the top of every hour of every day. My parents taught me them so I wouldn't die while crossing the street. And guess what. IT WORKED. Because I was able to put those words into use while making the treacherous journey across 4 lanes of overly caffeinated suburban women in SUVs, I survived. And I thrived. Imagine if social media marketers could do the same.

I cannot stress how important it is for marketers to learn to shut their mouths (or rather, their fingers) and listen to their audience. Users are more than ready to share what they are really thinking on social media, and when they do, that's where the real beauty lies. Listening for what the consumer wants encourages a two way communication that will lead to loyalty, engagement and perhaps even advocacy. Sometimes, the most beneficial thing a social media marketer can do is to stop, look and listen.

So, why did the social media marketer cross the road?