Buzz for me
How exactly do you go about encouraging your customers to 'buzz' about you to their friends and colleagues?
Firstly you need a product or service that's 'buzzable' - that means being more than just good (everybody's good these days). It means being [b]exceptional, different, strange, out of the ordinary - anything but satisfactory[/b].
But even that won't guarantee that people will talk about you. You need a plan.
1. Make it easy - how easily could someone explain what you do, do they know your name, do you have a catchphrase or logo that people will remember, do you make it automatic by branding your products or other materials, do you have referral buttons on your website
2. Give them the tools - referral cards, gift vouchers to give out (one for you and two for your friends), a special 'secret' deal that only they and their families can have, business cards, your direct line
3. Make it worth their while - how do you reward people who bring you more business, VIP treatment, a thank-you card, a special deal, cash
4. Expect it / Encourage it - tell people to tell their friends, make it part of doing business with you (we know you'll love it so much we'll ask you to tell two other people who could use our services), promote it, ask for referrals on your website
Word-of-mouth is by nature organic - you can't force people to talk about your business - but you can set your business and your marketing up to make it easy and rewarding to do so.
Tip: start with the negative - ask yourself all the reasons why someone wouldn't talk to their friends about what you do then finds ways to eliminate or mititgate those reasons
Firstly you need a product or service that's 'buzzable' - that means being more than just good (everybody's good these days). It means being [b]exceptional, different, strange, out of the ordinary - anything but satisfactory[/b].
But even that won't guarantee that people will talk about you. You need a plan.
1. Make it easy - how easily could someone explain what you do, do they know your name, do you have a catchphrase or logo that people will remember, do you make it automatic by branding your products or other materials, do you have referral buttons on your website
2. Give them the tools - referral cards, gift vouchers to give out (one for you and two for your friends), a special 'secret' deal that only they and their families can have, business cards, your direct line
3. Make it worth their while - how do you reward people who bring you more business, VIP treatment, a thank-you card, a special deal, cash
4. Expect it / Encourage it - tell people to tell their friends, make it part of doing business with you (we know you'll love it so much we'll ask you to tell two other people who could use our services), promote it, ask for referrals on your website
Word-of-mouth is by nature organic - you can't force people to talk about your business - but you can set your business and your marketing up to make it easy and rewarding to do so.
Tip: start with the negative - ask yourself all the reasons why someone wouldn't talk to their friends about what you do then finds ways to eliminate or mititgate those reasons
posted by Mark at Really Practical Marketing at 10:25 AM
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