Face2Face: Using Facebook, Twitter, and Other Social Media Tools to Create Great Customer Connections

by David Lee King

Presenting a practical guide for any organization that aspires to create direct, deep, rewarding relationships with its patrons and prospects, social media expert David Lee King goes beyond Facebook and Twitter to demonstrate how a range of Web 2.0 tools and techniques can be used to start and sustain conversations and humanize the organization in the eyes of those it seeks to serve. Suggesting myriad ways to connect with customers using photos and video, communities and networks, and specific tools such as blogs and location services, King uses real-world examples to illustrate the dos and don’ts of using social media. The book covers topics including responding to criticism, listening to consumers, creating an approachable tone, and designing a human-centered site, as well as explaining all the critical components of any effective customer-engagement strategy.

Genres: Nonfiction, Technology, Business

200 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

David Lee King is the Digital Services Director at Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, where he plans, implements, and experiments with emerging technology trends. He speaks internationally about emerging trends, website management, digital experience, and social media, and has been published in many library-related journals. David was named a Library Journal Mover and Shaker for 2008. His newest book, Face2Face: Using Facebook, Twitter, and Other Social Media Tools to Create Great Customer Connections, was published in September. David maintains a blog at http://www.davidleeking.com.

Reviews

[David King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love that "What did you think?" question. What did I think? I think it took me 9 long months to write this book, so of course I'm going to give it 5 stars!

But seriously - here's what my new book is all about: The average business or organization has yet to embrace emerging social tools. In fact, many haven’t even started. Yes, they have a website. But the content is mostly ABOUT the organization - there’s no face 2 face engagement between customers and the organization. Social tools like Facebook or Twitter? Relatively non-existent. If they DO exist, they are used primarily as one-way broadcast mediums. Not as a way to connect with and deepen relationships with customers.

What are these organizations missing? This book. Face2Face will help organizations learn how online engagement works ... to be approachable ... and to start and sustain conversations with customers.

[Emilia P · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty great for a professional development on social media sort of thing. It didn't get bogged down in technicalities but it also didn't zoom straight into the Expert stuff. It grounded the adoption, application, and metrics of social media in the real-life face to face (ahhh face2face, you see) interactions that social media is intended to foster. He wrote in the "business casual" style that he emphasized one should occupy social media in -- if you what you write doesn't sound like how you talk, then rewrite it till it does. And this book very much felt like just a guy, talking to you. So that was nice. He also had a great emphasis and procedural follow through on how to respond to comments and criticism so as to improve both your institution and your patrons/fans/customers opinion of your institution. This is the most essential shift for businesses and non-profits to make in social media age and it needs to be emphasized over and over and over again. So I am glad that he did.

And though DLK is a librarian by profession (albeit a digital services one), he didn't over-library-ify his tips, which was great! Thanks for the quick and thought-provoking read, dude. I look forward to your bloggage.

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's no mention of Instagram. Oh, how quickly books age.

Favorite Tidbits Thus Far

"Don't be creepy. You know the guy. Don't be that guy." - from Flickr's Comment Policies

Be clear about who you are. If you are an employer, when you comment on work-related posts, clearly state that you are an employee and that you are stating personal opinion. (i.e. transparency, etc.)

If you add a photo to a blog post of a person looking to the right or left, position the picture so the person is looking at the content and not away from it.

When taking pictures of staff, especially pictures that might be used as an icon/avatar picture...get a head-shot - one as closely cropped as possible. Why? Those pictures are tiny!

Seeing actual customers using a services makes that service seem that much more usable to people.

Showing off a staff member in a positive way makes the whole organization that much more human.

Einstein Bros Bagels uses informal language like "shmear" instead of "spread".

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ended up picking up this book because I follow David Lee King's blog, which focuses on the evolution and growth of technology and social media, particularly with regard to their use in libraries. As a result, I had a good sense of what I was going to be getting out of this book, and I wasn't disappointment. At its core, is a book that introduces all of the core elements of creating and utilizing social media not only to reach out to your target audience, but also to start conversations with those in the audience.

King has provided a good manual for beginners who are hoping to jump into social network to promote their business or non-profit organizations. He highlights all of the important dos, don'ts and best practices. Since I teach a lesson on Web 2.0 and how libraries can use it well, this book really had a draw for me. While I have to admit that I didn't learn a lot of new things with this book because of my experience and expertise, King really does a great job of presenting it. I had a good sense of reinforcement as to how I present the topic in my lecture.

One of the great things about this book is the conversation style. King highlights that it is important to use a professional, yet casual tone when writing in the various social networking environments, and he does just that in this book. Not only does it provide a great example, but it also makes the topic less intimidating for those with less experience and comfort with social media. You really feel like he is sitting down to talk to you about the topic.

I actually think that this really is a must-read for those looking to explore Web 2.0, but are uncomfortable experimenting and just trying things out.

[Paul Signorelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fact that Facebook has more than 1 billion registered users doesn't in any way suggest that there are more than 1 billion skilled users of social media tools worldwide. So a book like David Lee King's "face2face: Using Facebook, Twitter, and Other Social Media Tools to Create Great Customer Connections" has the potential to upgrade the social skills--and social graces--of those still struggling to improve their online social interactions at the business level David targets...and at a personal level, too. David's ability to communicate engagingly and well--a skill that attracts many of us to his presentations, his blogging, and to the work he does as Digital Services Director at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library--serves readers well in "face2face" as he dives right in with on-target advice. He starts by reminding us that we need to be human rather than standoffish and mechanical on the Web. We need to listen; respond professionally and as informally as we can to nurture the levels of interaction that accompany successful engagement via social media tools; and think strategically so that our use of videos, blog articles, and other online postings consistently lead us to productive and positive results. None of this, however, would mean much if "face2face" didn't work from a wonderful foundation: helping us understand how to create and nurture community connections that interweave onsite and online interactions rather than viewing them as unrelated activities. Works like "face2face" can only help to make that process smoother for anyone who takes the time to read and absorb all that it offers.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a small book that contains a huge amount of information! From Twitter to Facebook to video production, David Lee King offers helpful suggestions for organizations that want to extend their customer service presence into social media.

More than just a how-to on the tools themselves, King's book addresses how to create and maintain a friendly, approachable online presence. Most useful is his chapter on "Responding to Critics," in which he gives several examples of poorly-handled responses to criticism along with tips and tricks for the individual or organization facing criticism.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy David Lee King's blog, and was glad his friendly, upbeat tone is also present in Face2Face. A chapter on measuring success, which often seems to be overlooked in social media how-tos, was also a welcome inclusion. Those already using social media will probably find this guide too general, but I'd certainly recommend it for the beginner.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book covering so many important things about using social media... hadn't used Topix before reading this & already have spotted a work-related article that I missed last week. The author also has a great website, regularly updated (http://www.davidleeking.com/).

As many websites come and go - I'll add that another good "Listening" site is https://en.mention.com/...

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good pointers for work.