Word of Mouth – Something to Get Your Teeth Into

What is the most powerful and valuable marketing resource you can have that you cannot buy? Your visibility and credibility: Your sterling reputation.

One of the best ways to achieve that positive reputation is through word-of-mouth promotion. As Michael E. Cafferky, author of Let Your Customers Do the Talking, suggests, the reason word-of-mouth is so effective is that it is a natural, powerful, low-cost, and low-risk way to promote your business. Also it’s psychologically grounded: People like to talk, give advice, and make recommendations based upon their experiences.

Consequently, when customers or clients derive benefit from you …, when they are satisfied with your service or product, they will hold you in high esteem. They will come to know, like, and trust you. They will have confidence in you. Furthermore, they will want to share with others their special knowledge of you and their gratitude for what you do.

Being concerned about quality and customer service is all very well and good for establishing and maintaining your reputation, but you need to help speed the word-of-mouth process along. There are literally hundreds of simple actions you can take.

But what you need to do first and foremost with a customer or client is spend some time with them, not only before but also after the transaction. You need to relate to them as a person, not as a “buyer.” This means getting them to talk about themselves as well as share their thoughts, feelings, attitudes, beliefs, and/or opinions.

How do you do this? You do this by asking them questions and then having them” tell you more” about what they share. This is not a police grilling but a friendly interchange. Remember: Everyone wants to feel that what they think and feel is recognized by others as having worth.

After your initiation of a relationship with your customer or client, you need to follow up. Think of it as a successful first date that you want to pursue. You cannot assume that the good feelings engendered by the date will simply continue by themselves. You have to fan the flames … but, you have to do it in a friendly, indirect way. That is, you don’t slap them about the head and shoulders with frequent sales offers.

Instead, you start with a personalized “thank you” or “welcome” note. This acknowledges to them their importance to you. It also recreates their warm first impression of you. You could let them know that you will be sending them a periodic hardcopy newsletter or ezine with helpful tips and solutions to common problems.

In your newsletter or ezine you could ask them in a brief survey what their most burning question. You could also ask their advice on how you can make what you do easier, more comfortable, more convenient, or more on-point for them.

This demonstrates that you value their input and want to serve them even better. Furthermore, it helps keep the relationship embers warm as it keeps your name on the top of their head or the tip of their tongue.