In this day and age (you know, the one with a tight economy, Web 2.0 tools, and fierce competition in the marketplace), getting and retaining customers is tough. With consumers making more sacrifices these days, a traditional advertising campaign isn’t as effective as it used to be. That’s because consumers are going the extra mile and researching the products they’re buying, making sure the brand in question has a solid reputation, helpful support, and, of course, the best product. They’re turning to the Internet and to trade publications and to their friends. You can make the greatest impact by turning to their friends too.
Make the jump and find out why.
Word of mouth advertising is perhaps the most effective advertising a company can hope for, so you want to turn your customers into fans. When we looked at sales in the past, we wanted to lure consumers into stores and sell our product to them. Today, however, we need to go further than that. We need to lure them into stores, sell our product to them, and convince them to tell their friends. That’s not always easy, sure. But by offering a product that’s worth the price, comprehensive support when that product acts up, and an array of solutions to meet the needs of all of your buyers, you can be sure you’re giving customers what they’re looking for. Don’t be satisfied until a customer becomes a promoter of your brand.
Practical Application
In addition to being one of the most popular airlines on the ground, Southwest has taken their popularity to the digital arena with an established presence on Twitter. With more than 800,000 followers – and growing each day – Southwest is upholding its reputation of providing great customer service in a unique way.I really like their Twitter bio: “Airplanes can’t type so @ChristiDay, @Brandy_King, and @ChrisMainz are piloting the Twitterverse!” because it tells you who is behind the scenes, but is also just fun and entertaining. They really get how to use Twitter to their advantage, and provide useful updates – flights that are boarding, delayed, cancelled, and even special deals and discounts – as well as quick responses to customer’s questions. Let’s say that someone I follow on Twitter mentions @Southwest air in a tweet. I’m intrigued, because I’d never thought to look them up on Twitter before (or any other network for that matter). I go to their page, poke around, and become a follower – all because of my friend’s tweet. Then I go and do the same thing, and then my friends do it, too. See how easy it is?
In addition to Twitter, Southwest employees are also active on YouTube, Facebook, and Flikr, where they connect with thousands of other customers. The result of a move like this is not only loyal customers, but loyal fans who recognize the efforts of one of their favorite companies. From here, word is spread, and even more fans are born.
More than advertisements or television shows or any other influence, consumers are turning to their friends for product endorsements. Wouldn’t it be nice if their friends were recommending your brand?
How do you turn your customers into promoters? Tell your stories in the comments, or send us a Tweet!
