Suze Bragg

What Are People Saying About You?
March 9, 2007

Word of mouth, buzz marketing, building hype, brand evangalists...no matter what you call it, it's all the same. People who love you so much that they preach your gospel to others. Social media - blogs, YouTube, facebook, Myspace, discussion boards and Google message boards, to name a few - are influencing brands to a higher degree than they did in years past. Peer-to-peer advertising, or word of mouth, lends credibility to you as a company, plus it builds a subconscious relationship to you - if a friend likes you and shops with you, then there must be something worthwhile about your business.

This has always been the most powerful form of advertising. According to eMarketer, two-thirds of all economic activity in the US is influenced by shared options about a product, brand or service. GfK NOP reports that 92% of consumers cite word of mouth as one of the best sources for ideas about new products, up from 67% a generation ago. And Forrester Research (2004 study) showed that over 60% of consumers trust product recommendations found in online sources like discussion boards, while ads in the most trusted medium--newspapers--earned the trust of just over 50% of respondents.

How do you find out what people are saying about you?

Ask.

1. Perform a search online to see if there is anything written about you. I'm always amazed by the number of customer complaints that pop up in the first 10 results, and the company in question isn't aware of it. It's the equivelant of a huge, blinking, neon billboard in the middle of Times Square.

2. Ask your repeat customers what they think of you. Have them fill out a short survey, either paper or online, and give them a discount coupon in return.

3. Start a blog and have others link to you. Get a discussion going so people are introduced to your brand.

4. Have phenomenal, fabulous, exceptional customer service. Why? Because I had a bad experience with a certain clothing store and I told 15+ friends, who in turn told others, "Oh you don't want to shop there. Horrible experience." Other people obviously had the same thing happen, and this once extremely popular, very profitable store, closed their doors within 8 months. Word of mouth is powerful. So is bad customer service.

5. Have a party, opening, cocktails, coffee and sugar. Get people in your store and make them happy. They will tell others...

The first step in social media is finding out where you stand, and how tall you're indeed standing. Take a pulse, place as much positive content online, and have trusted others help you in this endeavor. And be nice. Above all, talk about yourself so others hear your name in their ears. This is how good "gossip" starts.

Posted by Suze Bragg on March 9, 2007 | Comments (0)