Let’s face it: nobody is interested in speaking to a
boring person. As such, if you would like your customers
to engage with you, you need to give them a
reason for doing so–—one which extends beyond
saying you are the best airline in town, or manufacture
the most robust kitchen blender. The first step
is to listen to your customers. Find out what they
would like to hear; what they would like to talk
about; what they might find interesting, enjoyable,
and valuable. Then, develop and post content that
fits those expectations. Coffee powerhouse Starbucks,
for example, created the ‘‘My Starbucks
Idea’’ platform, via which customers can submit
new ideas for the company. These ideas are subsequently
voted on by other users, with the winners
being considered for implementation by Starbucks
top management. As stated by Oscar Wilde in his
novel, The Picture of Dorian Grey: The one sin for
which there is no forgiveness is ennui.