For years now, marketers have touted word-of-mouth marketing as the most powerful, influential, and effective marketing out there. Business owners heeding this advice have begged, borrowed, and bribed people to review them. But it’s been an uphill battle for most. That’s because when customers have a good (or even great) experience, they are less likely to review a product or service than when they are disgruntled.
What can we say? People enjoy mudslinging.
To build greater customer loyalty, marketing gurus have suggested allowing customers/followers to crowdsource decisions for brands. That’s where all those “pick our new flavor” contests come from. After all, when people join in on a decision, they become invested in its success.
Here are a few ideas on how you can embrace the concept on a smaller scale.
• Give your most loyal customers a new product or service. Invite them to talk about it on social media.
• Create a “board” of customers (in your target market) who will give feedback on new products or services. Provide them with freebies and VIP opportunities for their efforts.
• When someone shares how much they love something you sell, ask if you can take a picture of them with it or record them on video.
• Create a video with customers talking about their favorite things in your business.
• Instead of you sharing new items or services, ask a customer to talk about them.
• Tell the story of an employee who was hired because of their love of the brand. Employees are customers, too.
• Give shoutouts online to customers who are doing something amazing, especially if it ties into your products or services. Tag them if you can.
• Create customer recommendations in-store and online.
• Finally, this is new territory in the customer/brand relationship. Your customers aren’t going to step forward and ask to do something for you. You will need to approach them. Do so strategically. You want to select people who love your brand but also are part of your target demographic.
This marketing approach is especially poignant for local businesses in smaller towns whose chosen brand reps may feel a bit like celebrities. It can be a very effective marketing tactic. But more than that it is a chance for your customers to feel vested in your business in a way that will motivate them to return again and again because they will see your business as theirs.
Ray Pucci is the president of the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce. The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce believes that healthy communities begin with prosperous businesses. By taking action in key areas - ADVOCATE, CONNECT, and GROW - we are the unified voice of business for the improvement of our communities. Visit delawarecounty.org for more information.
