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Great testimonials from happy fans are an important asset to any word of mouth program. It doesn’t matter if you’re a one-location restaurant or a billion-dollar BtoB brand — testimonials will help you make more sales. Three quick ways to get more of them:
1> Your feedback forms
2> Your unsolicited praise
3> Your loyal fans
1> Your feedback forms
Make the most of the times you’re already asking for feedback (because you are asking for feedback, right?). After the section on your form where people can leave their comment, add a checkbox that says something along the lines of, “Yes, I give you permission to use this in your marketing materials.” Even if just a small percentage of customers check the box (though it’ll probably be much higher than that), you’ll instantly get more testimonials you can immediately put to use.
2> Your unsolicited praise
Keep your eyes open for all the unsolicited praise from happy customers. You’ll often find it in blog posts, in emails from customers, or in everyday conversations. When you see or hear it, simply ask if you could quote them on it.
3> Your loyal fans
It is absolutely OK to ask your happy customers for a testimonial. Most of them won’t think to do it on their own — they don’t realize how much it could help you. Think about it: If you’ve done all the other stuff it takes to earn great testimonials, you’ve probably got a bunch of customers who would happily do it.
[Welcome back to the Word of Mouth Marketing newsletter. This is text of the great issue all of our email subscribers just received. Sign yourself up using the handy form on the right.]
While it’s impossible to completely defend yourself from negative word of mouth, there are some strategies to stop it before it gets too big. Three ways to do it:
1> Ask for feedback
2> Get fans involved early
3> Be prepared to apologize
1> Ask for feedback
One of the easiest ways to avoid negative word of mouth is to open yourself up to feedback. It could be as simple as a comment box near the register or an online forum for customers to share ideas and suggestions. Either way, without a place to share feedback, the only option a customer has is to vent directly to friends or in reviews on Yelp and Amazon.
2> Get fans involved early
Build a base of fans willing to defend your creations by getting them involved early. Let them test it, point out problems, and offer suggestions. You’ll get a bunch of great ideas and you’ll help fans develop a little ownership in what you’re building.
3> Be prepared to apologize
At some point — no matter who you are or what industry you’re in — something will go wrong, something will break, or something will get mixed up. Nobody is perfect. Avoid overblown negative word of mouth by giving your team an action plan on how to make up for any missteps that may happen along the way.
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Everyone wants positive feedback — make it easy for your customers and clients to show you some love:
1> Ask and encourage
2> Monitor what’s being said
3> Respond but don’t fight
1> Ask and encourage
Just ask for them. Angry people love to post negative reviews — but your fans need to be reminded to post good ones. Ask at the cash register, on the receipt, in an email… everywhere. Let your happy customers know that you need them and they will be there to help.
2> Monitor what’s being said
Over 70% of shoppers read reviews. Make sure that you know what’s being said every day. You don’t need fancy tracking, just do a daily search for your company name and key products, and check in with the major sites that review you.
3> Show your appreciation
Thank your positive reviewers. Put the best ones on your web site and print them out to hang in your store. Thank them by sending a nice email and commenting on their blog. Write a blog post to thank them by name. The more you encourage positive reviews, the more you’ll get.
