Capturing enquiries from social channels before they disappear

4 days ago
3 min read

Introduction

Enquiries arrive as comments under a post, as direct messages to an account somebody set up two years ago, and as replies to a story that vanishes in a day. They are real enquiries from real buyers, and in many businesses they are handled by whoever happens to see them, if anybody does.

The losses here are among the largest and least examined in the whole funnel. There is no log, no owner, no response time and frequently no notification, and the enquiry sits unread beside a system that would have alerted three people had the same message arrived through the website form.

1. Capturing enquiries from social channels starts with knowing where they arrive

The inventory.

Every account, page and profile associated with the business, including ones set up by former staff. Most businesses find at least one nobody is monitoring. Search for your own business name on each platform rather than relying on a list of what you think exists.

2. Turn on notifications and give each channel an owner

The basic fix.

A named person responsible for each place a message can arrive, with a deputy. This alone resolves most of the problem and costs nothing. Notifications on a shared device or a business account are more reliable than depending on somebody's personal phone.

3. Treat a comment as an enquiry

The classification point.

Somebody asking about price or availability under a post has enquired. It should be answered as promptly as a form submission and recorded the same way. Businesses routinely apply a one-hour standard to their web form and no standard at all here.

4. Move the conversation somewhere durable

The practical step.

A public comment is a poor place for a quote. Answer briefly in public, then move to a message, an email or a call, so the exchange is recorded and private. Say publicly that you are following up, so other readers can see the question was handled.

5. Log them alongside everything else

The measurement requirement.

Same log, same fields, marked with the channel. Otherwise the channel appears to produce nothing and is judged on visible engagement rather than on the enquiries it actually generated. Businesses regularly cut a channel that was quietly producing a tenth of their work.

6. Answer publicly as well as privately

The visible half.

Other people read the reply. A prompt, helpful public answer to a question does marketing work in front of an audience, which a private message alone does not.

7. Do not leave questions unanswered in public

The reputational cost.

An unanswered question under a post is visible to everybody who arrives later and reads as a business that does not respond. This is worse than not being present at all.

8. Make the route off the platform obvious

The reduction of dependency.

A phone number, an email address and a link in every profile. Buyers who prefer another channel should not have to search, and it protects you if an account is lost.

9. Keep control of the accounts

The continuity risk.

Ownership held by the business rather than an individual, with recovery details recorded. Accounts created by a departed employee or an agency are a common and avoidable loss.

Be careful about personal data and record-keeping in messaging. These conversations are business records, frequently contain personal information, and are easily lost when they live in one person's personal app — with obligations that vary by jurisdiction.

Conclusion

Give every channel an owner, because these enquiries arrive where nothing is monitored.

Inventory every account associated with the business, turn on notifications and name a responsible person for each, treat comments as enquiries, move substantive exchanges to a durable channel, log them alongside every other enquiry with the channel marked, answer publicly as well as privately, never leave a visible question unanswered, put contact details in every profile, and keep account ownership with the business.