How to use Facebook & Twitter to find deals and get better customer service

FareCompare•May 4, 2010

Rick Seaney talks with Good Morning Texas – Watch now:

If you’re not one of the millions who have a Facebook or Twitter account, take a few seconds to go online and sign up. Not for the social camaraderie – do it for the cash.

That’s right, the cold hard cash you’ll save on your next airline ticket purchase.

We all know that cheap seats are harder to find than ever, so savvy air travelers have to change with the times and adapt to new technology, just as airlines and travel sites are doing. Specifically, they’re getting more involved in the social network scene – trying to figure out how to market tickets to these vast new communities.

As part of this new marketing strategy, ticket sellers and airfare shopping aggregators are promoting “social media only” discounts, and if you’re not part of the community, you will miss out on these savings.

Plus, airlines pay close attention to what social networkers are saying about them, which makes them more likely to respond to issues promptly on their social accounts – as opposed to the concerns of those who go through “old school” channels like letters and even email.

Here’s why:Â Airlines typically have PR people handling their social discussions – not a customer service agent – and the PR pros have more power to dispense goodies if need be. At the very least, they’ll put your problem on a fast track in hopes you’ll broadcast your good experience to your social network.

FareCompare has packaged the best-of-the-best tools for finding cheap flight via social Â networks in the FareCompare When-to-Fly Twitter app. Here’s a quick primer for finding cheap flights on Twitter with FareCompare When-to-Fly real-time airfare alerts.

Besides FareCompare’s Twitter app, there’s more: 5 Great ways to find deals on Facebook and 5 Great Ways to find deals on Twitter.

5 Tips to find Deals on TwitterÂ

Step 1 – Signup and create a Twitter account:

Guess what, your kids are probably not on Twitter. Twitter skews a little older – go figure.

Step 2 – Give Twitter access to your address book to find friends:

That may sound scary, but really it’s just a way for Twitter to compare the email addresses in your address book with addresses already in the Twitter network. Once you allow access you will be surprised how many of your friends are already using Twitter.

Step 3 – Follow your favorite brands and search terms:

Just as on Facebook, you can follow your favorite brands. Plus, with Twitter, you can also search/follow ‘hashtags’ such as #cheapflights #traveltuesday #flightdeals to find even more deals.Â Â

Step 4 – Twitter is all about Real-time Tweets:

Twitter is populated with real-time information (more so than Facebook), so flight and travel deals will come and go quickly on Twitter. That means, you must stay connected to get these deals.

Downloading an easy tool like Twitterberry for Blackberry devices and Tweetdeck for iPhone makes it easy to stay connected on the go.

Step 5 – Engage, Participate and Ask Questions:

It’s easy to send a tweet directly to a brand, but keep in mind that Twitter is a noisy space. When you send a message, be sure to include the brands you think might be interested in your request.

Include multiple brands in your tweets, especially competitors vying for your business. You can bet that almost every company will have someone dedicated to the job of monitoring every tweet that mentions its name. You may not get a ‘free’ ticket out of this, but you could get tips and advice to put you on the right path.

Top Five TweepsÂ to follow in DFW:

@flyfromDFW | @SouthwestAir | @AAirwavesÂ | @dallashappyhourÂ | @MarketingJedi

and follow @flyfromDFW Who to Follow in DFW list – 20 of the best tweeps in Dallas-Fort Worth

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5 Tips to find Deals on Facebook

Step 1 – Sign-up and create your own Facebook page:

So what if your kids are on it? If you want to find cheap flight deals, get yourself on Facebook.

Step 2a – Find your friends:

You’ll be surprised how easy it is to connect with old and make new ones. And not just “real” friends: your favorite TV characters (like Addison from Private Practice), popular stores (like The Home Depot) and even your outstanding charities (Livestrong) are all on Facebook. Just “friend” the people and characters and companies you like, and you are on your way.

Step 2b – Show your followers – your friends – who and what you “Like” on Facebook:

It may sound silly but it can pay off big. When you indicate you “like” a favorite brand or company – such as FareCompare, Southwest Airlines,Â American Airlines and others – these new “friends” of yours will reward you with special deals that can’t be found anywhere else.For example, some airlines feature ‘Social Network – Only’ deals on Facebook, plus they may offer contests or other specials exclusively to their social network connections.

Step 3 – Let Facebook know what you’re into:

Click “Edit my Profile” under your picture, to add “interests” such as “travel,” “deals,” “cheap flights” and more, and Facebook will customize the content and offers that come your way. You can always add or change your interests to improve your Facebook experience.

Step 4 – Participate in the conversation:

Update your status – then “like” content that your friends and favorite brands share. Being part of the conversation is what makes Facebook worthwhile.

Step 5 – Stay connected:

Deals are fleeting and when your friends and favorite brands share information with you on Facebook, it’s often time-sensitive, meaning you have to jump on any offers to take advantage of them (if it wasn’t time sensitive, they’d probably just email you or put an ad on TV).

The best way to get any deal is to be the first to know about it – so connect your Facebook account to your smart phone, or, login often during the day.