Many companies begin a social networking campaign without giving much thought to how they will support those efforts. One of the most effective ways to do this is with an IM. That may seem a bit out of place at first, but you have to consider the fact that if you do not provide a micro outlet for your members everything, even the things that you do not want to be seen, will be expressed on the macro scale.
Using an IM to compliment your social networking efforts allows you to:
* Provide a 1 on 1 service to the digital generation.
* Allow user/customers to air their grievances to the company privately and gain resolution if the issue is private, sensitive or embarrassing.
* Test a new idea on a small group of people, a digital focus group.
Consider the IM as a way to augment your social networking campaigns.