Week 2A: Communication Between Business & Consumer

     There's no question that social media has drastically changed the relationship between businesses and consumers. The main factor enacting this change is the way social platforms have streamlined each parties ability to communicate with one another. Through the targeted ad options provided by platforms like facebook, instagram and yelp, companies can now create hyper-specific profiles of the type of consumer they wish to see their ad. For example, I am a health nut. I'd guess 80% of my internet searches are surrounding nutrition, spiritual wellness, exercise, or researching health related goods and services. On top of that, most accounts I follow besides from personal friends and family are in the personal wellness field. Because of this, nearly all of my ads are products in this category. Teas, workout programs, yoga retreats, the companies selling these products have worked with social media platforms to determine i am a likely purchaser, and pay to ensure their content makes its way onto my feed. Reversely, I as a consumer can use social media to find the companies that offer goods and services I specifically am looking for. I just gave birth to my first child last week, and through social media was able to curate a 100% toxin free nursery. I didn't do this by reading every ingredient or sourcing every fiber of material used in my daughters crib... I did this by looking at holistic mommy instagrams! It's also changed communication dramatically in that smaller companies who use clever online marketing can have the same chance of getting a sale as a giant mega-brand. It's made the seller/buyer dynamic more targeted for everyone involved. Brands can be more specific with where their content goes, where as in the past they would have to shell out major bucks for TV and print commercials. Customers can make more refined searches and get exactly the products they are looking for, rather than sifting through mountains of products that may or may not be what they are looking for. 

    I have recently been on the hunt for an LED light therapy mask. It's a result driven product with a wide spectrum of quality and price point, so I felt that it would be a solid subject to research for this project with a wide range of feedback. It is also a pretty social media friendly product, being the center of many TikTok and Instagram posts. I felt like the reviews I found were a huge help in determining which brand to purchase from. There are lots of before and after pics posted by real customers online. It is nice to have social media as a source here, because by searching hashtags rather than brand sites I could see honest non-sponsored feedback. 

    When I share a review of a product, I try to my to focus on expectation vs. reality. If I am reviewing an upscale restaurant, I'm going to take more into account when reviewing than if it were a food truck. What's the ambiance like, is the product worth the price, does the staff offer an above and beyond service experience? I also make a point to clarify any personal details that may effect my experience but not the majority of people reading the review. I am allergic to certain types of seasonings that most others are not, because of this manny of my allergies aren't listen on menus. So if my experience at a restaurant is disappointing because the menu failed to highlight certain ingredients, I will disclose in my review that my allergies were not addresses, however a basil allergy is significantly different than one to peanuts. I have rarely posted negative reviews, because I understand how detrimental they can be to a business. I've only posted such things if I vocalize my issue with a company, and they fail to come to a solution with me one on one. My preference is to write positive reviews, which I make a strong point to do. Whenever I try a new establishment that is locally owned, I ask for the name of the team member helping me and take time to write a thoughtful detailed review of my experience. 

    The success of a business, no matter what type,  has a lot to do with public relations. In owning my own business, I will make a point to respond to each review. Positive reviews will be met with a message of sincere appreciation. Negative reviews will be addressed personally and publicly. I have seen companies publicly debate negative reviews, which in my opinion is in poor taste. I will contact the customer directly and see what can be done to write the wrong. Then, once a solution is met, I will post a reply on whichever public forum they used to disclose the situation and the final outcome of the private interaction. 

    I left a few Yelp reviews for my favorite restaurants in my new neighborhood in Oceanside. My first review was for Pho Bowl and Grill. I noted my favorite dishes and complimented to waitress who has helped me each time I've been. My second Yelp review was for Seaborne Coffee. Again I complimented the staff, noting they are always personable even in the middle of a Sunday morning rush. I also mentioned that they have a variety of vegan and gluten free food options, plus that they offer fresh baked empanadas. Finally, I left a review for Brio Skin Studio. They are a local esthetician office that helped me greatly during my pregnancy as the hormones made my skin look like a teenager again. I specifically mentioned the esthetician I have been seeing, and the different treatments she has done on me in the last 9 months.