There is no doubt that the key
to business success is to have loyal, satisfied customers
who brag about their business to others.
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Not only are they repeat purchasers, but also they become
walking billboards for the company. What's the best form of
advertising there is? Word-of-mouth. Word-of-mouth is the
only method of promotion that is of the consumer, by the
consumer, and for the consumer. Best of all, it's one of the
lowest-cost forms of promotion there is.
People ask other people all the time for a referral. If they
trust the person making the recommendation, they often act
upon the referral. And some lucky business gets one more
customer without having to spend a nickel on advertising or
promotion. Keeping in touch with satisfied customers and
encouraging them to talk up your business costs relatively
little. Here are some word-of-mouth marketing tips that can
help you build a network of referral sources:
1. Get your customers involved. Encourage your customers to
become involved in the process of making or delivering your
product or service. This personal experience creates a sense
of camaraderie and positive feelings that lead them to talk
about your business to their friends.
2. If your business receives referrals from another
business, reciprocate. Refer business to the referrer. Or at
the very least, offer the referrer a discount price. If your
business can't offer a discount, there may be other ways to
reciprocate. Consider a small gift or gift certificate.
3. Tell stories because stories illustrate a specific idea
or selling point. They are an effective vehicle for
spreading reputations because they communicate on an
emotional level. If you have a company newsletter or
brochure, include a story or two about your company that
readers can pass along.
4. Educate your customers. By educating your customers, you
can boost your reputation and customer loyalty. Pick a topic
relevant to your best customers and make yourself the source
of credible, current information about that topic.
5. Finally fix problems fast. Nothing grates more than the
slow resolution of a problem. Speedy response is vital to
prevent negative word-of-mouth from spreading. Negative
feelings about a product or service may linger for years.
Research shows that for every bad experience, we tell four
friends. While for every good experience, we tell, on
average, just two and a half. When faced with a complaint,
the response of your employees should be, "How can I send
this person away happy?"
The best form of advertising is word-of-mouth. And certainly
the best way to get positive word-of-mouth is by providing a
quality product or service that meets the needs of your
customers. But there are ways to encourage your happy
customers to spread the good word.
