Recently I saw a movie I loved, “Chef.” It’s the kind of movie that had the audience clapping at the end. I thought the film was really enjoyable and good story, so I promptly recommended it to all my friends.
Chances are you’ve done the same thing. You’ve had a great experience that you couldn’t wait to share with your friends. This is the essence of word-of-mouth marketing, a powerful way to promote a product or service.
Today’s post will give you some great tips for creating positive word-of-mouth marketing for your own business.
Wouldn’t it be great if all your clients loved you so much they couldn’t stop singing your praises? Here are some things you can do today to make that happen:
- Add value. Be a value added promotional marketing sales professional by providing free marketing tips, special packaging, industry trend reports, ROI tracking and white papers without being asked—something that most of your competitors are most likely not doing.
- Know what they want. Ask your current clients if there are any services you’re not currently providing that they would want, then seek to provide them.
- Perform damage control. When something goes wrong, accept responsibility and get it fixed quickly. People are much more likely to remember how you handled the situation rather than what happened.
- Have a contest. People love contests. A trivia contest, a puzzle, a “help me name this” contest will get your customers engaged and talking about you. Social media is a great place to promote contests.
- Give more to get more. Make a list of your favorite business resources and give it to your best clients. Chances are your clients will be so impressed and grateful they’ll be thinking about what they can do for you.
- Follow them on social media. Follow your favorite clients on social media sites and see what they are talking about. Make insightful comments and share their content. The more you know the more valuable you can become.
- Give and get testimonials. Do your clients love you and say great things about you? The next time you hear something favorable about your business, ask if you can use it as a testimonial. Offer to do the same for them. You can even save your client time by writing what they said and getting their permission to use it. Testimonials establish credibility, trust and social proof—a great way to drive business to you.
Speaking of word-of-mouth marketing: Do you have a favorite promotional products industry supplier, service provider or online resource that is worthy of mention? I’m compiling a list and would love to know who you absolutely love working with or what online tools you can’t live without. Just respond to this blog with your recommendations and how they help you.
Rosalie Marcus, The Promo Biz Coach is a promotional products business expert, coach and speaker. Combining her skills and years of experience in promotional sales, she helps her clients sell more at higher profit margins and dramatically increase their incomes! Get a FREE special report: 10 Big Mistakes Promotional Professionals Make and How to Avoid Them and a FREE Skyrocket Your Sales audio download at www.promobizcoach.com. Reach her at [email protected] or 215-572-6766.
