Are consumers talking about you?
Do you know how important word-of-mouth marketing is? Did you know it can turn a business around from failure to success overnight? Well, that is if it’s positive word-of-mouth marketing, negative word-of-mouth marketing can have the exact opposite effect.
Truth is that the trust of the consumer is diminishing quickly. Think about how many scams we see on the news and that is explanation enough of why our potential customers are very leery. This is where the power of word-of-mouth marketing comes in. As consumers we may not believe your commercials or the other venues you use to advertise with, but we will believe what someone else says about your products and services.
Look, we hear it all the time, word-of-mouth marketing is the best marketing because it comes with credibility and it costs you nothing. When I say this I see the other party scratch their head and get that serious contemplation look and I know exactly what they are thinking: “How do I generate word-of-mouth buzz for my product or service?”
Word-of-Mouth marketing is the most difficult to measure, but it’s also the most cost effective, because it costs you nothing. Your customers are the best vehicle for positive word-of-mouth marketing, but how can you get them to talk about you?
Word-of-mouth marketing can be generated, but you must do a few basic things to make it happen. Let me show you five tips:
1. Ask them to try your product.
If you want consumers to talk about your product, ask them to try and then to tell others about it. This is an effective way to build excitement and genuine recommendations.
2. Find ways to make your customers feel like company insiders.
Involve them, ask their opinion and then listen. Make them feel like their feedback and opinion matters. Create a list that shares with them upcoming events, product or specials that are coming up.
3. Provide a forum for influences to have a conversation on behalf of your brand.
Give influencers a forum to share their opinion and feedback. This could be a company sponsored cocktail party or as simply as an online forum for selected customers only.
4. Provide quality service and treat every customer with respect.
Give your consumer something good to talk about. Show them quality in service and treat every customer with respect. Do you think Starbucks became popular because of their $4.00 lattes? No they became popular because they made an effort to know their customers names and remember their favorite drinks. They provide quality and experience, that’s why customers paid $4.00 for a latte. Unfortunately they’ve gotten a little lax on it lately, but in the beginning they had it down to a science. Perhaps if they were focus on it again they might see a brighter economic future in these tough times.
5. Stay in touch, provide them with specials that they want to talk about.
Put your consumers in the know. Inform them of specials, send them coupons and by all means stay in touch. This will not only increase their visits, but it will get them talking about you.
