The best marketing is word of mouth. Many of us have heard this phrase over the years, and that sentiment still holds true, even as marketing continues to evolve with the expansion of digital marketing tools and strategies develop. Customers expect brands and companies to say how great they are, so advertising from that vantage point has limited success. The most trusted testimony on a company’s performance comes from its customers. Customer reviews or testimonials about a company’s services or products are considered more objective, and if you have ever read the comments on social media posts or reviews on Yelp, you know that people — particularly those who are dissatisfied — do not hold back. Below are a few methods you can use to maximize the customer perspective:
CAPTURE IT
After you have finished a project, how many times have you graciously listened to a customer make kind comments and wished others could hear them? They can — if you capture the moment. When customers express enjoyment of your products or services, ask if you can record them sharing their experiences. I recommend video because it can be used in its entirety or in separate elements, such as audio only or text quotations for your website or marketing collateral.
REVIEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Your next option is to ask for reviews or recommendations on social media. The power of social media reviews is that others can easily see them. It is social proof connected to an individual’s profile. The network of social media users connected to the person leaving the review will see that their connection was impressed with your work. This method also increases the interactivity on your social media accounts, which increases the potential audience reach.
CUSTOMER APPRECIATION MOMENTS
Regardless of the industry, there is competition for someone’s money, time and trust. Show your gratitude through customer appreciation campaigns. This could be a coupon, special gift, social media highlight or access to exclusive information or events, which gives the customer another opportunity to brag about how wonderful your business is. Your customers are your business partners. Show them how valuable they are.
Reviews or testimonials can be repurposed as content within promotion videos, the company website, social media posts, or advertisements and marketing collateral.
Just a note: If a customer leaves an unfavorable review, do not ignore it. Discover what the disconnect is, and try to resolve the issue.
LaShaundra McCarty is chief communication officer, LMc Communications. Learn more and connect with her via www.lashaundramccarty.com or https://linktr.ee/lashaundra.
