Increase loyalty in 3 easy online steps

AdAge says customer retention and loyalty are more important than ever for marketers. And what better way to retain customers and increase their loyalty than to talk to them -- about the stuff they want to talk about?

1. Use the Internet to listen to what people are saying to your organization.
2. Respond conversationally, not with a 1-way message.
3. Use the feedback from your conversation to make real changes to the way you operate.

Listen: Use Google Blogsearch or Technorati to track what people are saying about the work you do. But don't just look for your organization's name. Look for anyone who's talking about interesting stuff going on in your field. This isn't about finding naysayers and correcting them. It's about taking a place at the table with others who are talking about stuff that's important to you, and to them.

Respond: You don't use a bullhorn when you're conversing at a cocktail party. So why would you do it online? Your listening is only effective when it helps you craft a reasoned response that invites further response from others. The Internet is home to important, nuanced conversations about millions of subjects. If you haven't found one that pertains to your work, it could be that you haven't looked hard enough. And if you've looked, and still can't find one, start one of your own. People will find it, if it's a conversation worth having.

Change: Having a conversation is great. But if you're all talk and no action, people will notice. Use the feedback you get from your customers/constituents to make real changes in the way you operate. You don't have to implement every single suggestion. But if you're engaging in conversation with smart people online, some of them are bound to have good ideas. You should try them.