Because our world is run by humans, it’s a given that things will go wrong.
At some point, something is going to break. Maybe it’s your fault, maybe not. The details won’t matter to the customer that’s stranded, delayed, hopeless, and generally screwed.
And this is the point where great word of mouth marketers separate themselves from their competitors: They see it as an opportunity to go above and beyond. They amaze people with their quick work. They do whatever it takes to make it better. They offer hope to the hopeless.
And it works for anyone — regardless of size. It’s not about how big your budget is, it’s about how much you’re willing to hustle to make things right.
How a word of mouth marketing supergenius:
When a Southwest Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale to Denver had to be diverted to Pueblo because of bad weather, passengers were forced to wait two hours on the ground until the Denver airport could reopen.
Passengers were tired, frustrated, and stuck.
And that’s when the Southwest pilot announced he was ordering pizza for everyone. About 30 minutes later, row by row, the pilot personally handed out slices to the stranded travelers.
[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.]
Is a fear of negative word of mouth holding you back? While we can’t tell you how to avoid it altogether, here are 3 things you should know about it:
1> It happens to everyone
2> It’s a pre-existing condition
3> It’s an opportunity
1> It happens to everyone
There’s a critic for everything, and whatever you sell isn’t immune to criticism. Smart marketers have a combination of thick skin and a willingness to learn and make things better as a result of negative feedback. Whatever you’re building, make it amazing, all while knowing you’re bound to annoy someone.
2> It’s a pre-existing condition
Negative word of mouth isn’t something you create by entering a channel you weren’t previously in. For example, people are already saying bad things about you on Twitter whether you have an account or not. But by joining these networks, while potentially rough at first, you’re given a chance to share your side of the story and demonstrate a willingness to listen.
3> It’s an opportunity
There is no bigger fan than the former critic. By working extra hard to solve the headaches of your upset customers and surprising them with the occasional big upgrade or free replacement, you’ll quickly turn negative word of mouth into some thankful love for your brand. Try creating a simple response plan for upset customers that approaches negative word of mouth as an opportunity to earn a new fan — you won’t convert everyone, but those who do will be some of your biggest talkers.
Our lineup of speakers includes word of mouth supergenius and Bazaarvoice CMO, Sam Decker, who will be presenting a case study detailing how The Land of Nod used fan feedback to improve customer service and build trust. Here are three tips he shared as a preview:
Help your organization realize what customer feedback means to the brand. Sam calls it his “Woodpecker and Peacock” theory, which involves a mixture of persistent day-to-day analytics along with bigger, case-study-worthy initiatives that drive organizations to make fundamental changes.
Negative word of mouth can be incredibly useful. Don’t give up on those giving negative feedback. Find ways to bring this info back to the organization to make improvements.
Customers are already talking. Whether you’re listening or not, the conversation is taking place — and it represents a huge opportunity for your brand.
Hear Sam’s live Supergenius preview (and check out our Facebook page to see all our interviews):
[Welcome back to the You Can Be a Word of Mouth Marketing Supergenius! 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.]
In this issue, Converseon’s Lindsay Lebresco shares her tips on how to respond to customer feedback, posts, comments, and reviews:
1> Choose a great responder
2> Monitor the conversation
3> Keep it public
4> Lindsay’s live Supergenius preview
You can see Lindsay live — as well as 30 other brilliant word of mouth marketers — live at GasPedal’s Word of Mouth Supergenius on December 16 in Chicago. This “How to be Great at Word of Mouth Marketing” Conference features 12 how-to classes, 12 real-world case studies, and 6 brilliant authors.
1> Choose a great responder
Equally important to knowing how to respond to customer feedback is taking the time to pick the right person for the outreach. Find someone who is knowledgeable, patient, and loves helping people. When customers are upset, it takes a special person who’s passionate about what they do to convert a former critic into a new fan.
2> Monitor the conversation
Don’t get caught off guard by an issue that’s been brewing for weeks because you aren’t monitoring the conversation. Lindsay recommends having at least a basic monitoring program in place, as well as a good way to filter that information for the most relevant conversations. Once you have a good understanding of the existing conversation, you can establish some standard processes for reaching out to angry customers.
3> Keep it public
As Lindsay points out, when an issue arises, companies are often quick to “take it offline.” But in doing so, you might be missing a significant opportunity to earn some fantastic word of mouth by resolving the issue publicly. If you’re taking the initiative to fix a problem and make someone’s day, why not do it where the whole world can see it?
4> Lindsay’s live Supergenius preview
Hear Lindsay expand on her three big ideas on how to respond to customer feedback, as well as reveal her word of mouth superpower here:
This is GasPedal's blog about all things word of mouth marketing. We cover everything from the best word of mouth case studies to the latest research, focusing on the practical ideas you can use to get your fans talking about you.
The Social Media Business Council, formerly the Blog Council, is a brands-only community that helps large organizations build successful social media programs.
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