Social Media - Every Ping Needs a Pong

Successful communication is like playing a good game of ping pong. 

In today’s virtual world, communication has become one-dimensional. We write (ping), post (ping), comment (ping), and share (ping) - the more, the merrier. We segment, target, position, and blast (ping, ping, ping) our messages across all channels. We bombard our audience with what we believe they need to know and, even worse, what our clients “need to do” for us: Subscribe here! (ping) Donate there! (ping) Order now! (ping)

Later, we measure our success by the number of followers or subscribers we’ve “won.” One million followers? Congratulations - but where is the “pong”? How many followers reacted to our posts? With how many of them did we establish a conversation? There is no benefit to quantity if there is no quality.

Don’t become a ping pong machine haphazardly shooting.

Communication is a reciprocal process whereby two or more people exchange information, sentiments, observations, and experiences. This exchange is essential for promoting new thoughts, considering multiple and alternate perspectives, and making sound and informed decisions.

Communicate like you play ping pong: Serve (ping) and wait for the counter serve (pong) at the other end. Then catch that incoming impulse and return the ball, each time a bit more defined, each time with a tad more energy. The longer we can exchange that valuable momentum, the more powerful, exciting, and rewarding we’ll make the match, as well as our communication.

When we boost our social media messaging without encouraging interaction, we forfeit the opportunity to establish a connection with our recipient. Like ping pong, length and quality are crucial for communication because the interplay, not the frequency, makes communication stimulating and rich. 

My 2 Cents of Sense

1. Interact with a thousand rather than post to a million.
   Most communication strategies are oneway “action plans” that rarely allow the time and the resources to engage with our audience. Effective virtual communication requires up-to-date technology and tools as well as a skilled and dedicated staff that reacts quickly and compassionately.

2. Listen to what’s important to people.
   Active listening takes time and effort, but it is also vital to recognize what resonates with our stakeholder’s key values, needs, and interests. Invest in a personal dialogue rather than robots, automated emails, or do-it-yourself videos.

3. Turn insights into innovation.
   Our internal and external stakeholders are our most valuable resources. Their pain points reveal our operational weak spots. They command a 360-degree perspective to unearth untapped potential or anticipate trends. Seek a customer’s viewpoint and listen actively rather than push a hard sell.

Ping attracts followers. 

Ping AND Pong build emotional connections and committed loyalty.