[Welcome back to the You Can Be a Word of Mouth Marketing Supergenius! newsletter. This is text from the great issue all of our email subscribers just received. Sign yourself up using the handy form on the right.]
Bad things happen to good companies. Sometimes it’s your fault, sometimes it’s bad luck. But it’s how you respond that matters. A few tips:
1. Never underestimate the power of a sincere apology
2. Point to independent sources
3. Fix problems publicly
1. Never underestimate the power of a sincere apology
An honest, genuine apology can cut through the hysteria and calm even the harshest critics. It’s not always easy for a brand to do — it requires humility and candor. But not only can it defuse the current situation, it can also help you build credibility for the next time an issue comes up. To see how this can be done well, see how Amazon’s Jeff Bezos apologized for his company’s removal of certain copies of George Orwell books from Kindles.
2. Point to independent sources
It’s common for negative word of mouth to involve a lot of misunderstanding and misinterpretation from customers and critics. A great tool to use here is third-party sources that can explain the full story. This strategy of redirecting the conversation to outside experts was a key part of UPS’ response when a competitor launched an attack campaign over new industry legislation.
3. Fix problems publicly
When you solve problems in public forums, more people get to experience what a great company you are. Your options will vary depending on your industry, but even the most regulated brands have options here. Take H&R Block, for example. They take conversations offline to exchange sensitive customer information and then invite them back online when the problems are resolved.
Bloggers, journalists, podcasters — all content producers — are always looking for the next great story. While there are plenty of horror stories of PR flacks blasting form letters to bloggers, you don’t have to suffer the same fate.
In general, a polite email is a good start. Keep it friendly, honest, and be sure to demonstrate you have a clear understanding of the type of content they publish. Some bloggers even make it extra easy by posting directions on how they prefer to be pitched.
Not every blogger will see the potential in your story, but if you do it right, you’ll at the very least begin to develop some relationships with these influencers.
How a word of mouth supergenius does it:
When budget cuts hit the Colorado Tourism Office this year, they went hunting for a more creative way to share the experiences the state had to offer.
Their solution: Invite a few social media-savvy “snow virgins” to sample winter activities like skiing, dogsledding, and snowmobiling for three months — with the influencers sharing these experiences through blogs, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.
While most of us are familiar with The Best Job in the World, Colorado’s project is an example of how it can be done with more bloggers on a smaller budget. And even if you don’t have six figures to spend on a project, you can still help bloggers better experience your stuff with behind-the-scenes tours, free samples, and beta-versions to test out.
Follow the snow virgins’ adventures: Click here
[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.]
Service companies have just as many fans and word of mouth potential as anyone else. Help them talk about you with techniques like these:
1> Give them a party kit
2> Give them a hand
3> Give them something to join
1> Give them a party kit
When you’re finished installing, setting up, or repairing something in someone’s home, give them a way to invite friends over to enjoy it. A gift basket or party kit with food and wine and a little note encouraging them to invite their friends over to show off their new floor, deck, quiet furnace — whatever — can be a great way to show off your stuff to potential customers. Giving your new customers a party kit helps them throw a whole party to talk about you.
2> Give them a hand
Put your stuff in the spotlight by swooping in when a disaster happens and helping out some deserving folks. If there’s a fire, major storm, or flood and you’ve got the resources to help out, you’ll be rewarded with a bunch of new fans when you do. Not only will it lead to some great buzz and PR, but it also helps make the world a little better.
3> Give them something to join
Someone who uses your service and becomes a fan should have the opportunity to join a group to connect and share with other fans. A simple Facebook group is an easy to way to help your fans share photos, experiences, and tell their friends about you (and it doesn’t cost you anything). Your group will also be a great way to stay in touch with past customers, gather testimonials, and show potential customers how people love your work.
This mini course, presented by Andy Sernovitz, is a three-hour version of the Word of Mouth Crash Course at a fraction of the cost.
This course is course is specifically designed for corporate communicators. You’ll learn a simple, repeatable framework you can use to execute revenue-producing word of mouth campaigns. This course, which is a half-day pre-conference workshop as part of the Ragan Communicators Conference, will show you how to:
- Use specific, practical strategies and concepts you can put to work the next day
- Find the right people to talk about you and your business (influencers and evangelists) and motivate them to sell your product for you
- Participate in the conversation: Ethical ways to insert yourself in the dialogue while avoiding the common (but easy-to-make) mistakes
- Guide your employees on how to play a role in these conversations — and what to do with the feedback they get
- Track and measure results to increase your word of mouth
Key details:
- Where: Ragan’s Corporate Communicators Conference 2009, Chicago
- When: May 6, 1-4 PM
- Cost: $345 (and, get a $200 credit for Ragan’s Corporate Communicators Conference!)
- Register: Click here (under Pre-Conference Workshops on May 6)
