An engaged, satisfied customer who speaks nicely about you to others is the best thing marketing money can’t buy. Customer words have an impact your own claims can’t touch. Heck, your customer could even say, “They’ve been in business since 1959,” and somehow miraculously (unlike when it’s used in any other marketing tool), your date of origin would come out sounding impressive.
Just think about these regular words: “They’re really neat in their work … They came back out when I had a problem, fixed it and now it works just fine ... The technician was super nice.” Copywriters would never write them, but they come out like pieces of gold when they come from your customer’s mouth.
In this jaded marketplace where every time your landline rings, it’s somebody selling you something, regular people want to hear from regular people. In fact, according to a Nielsen survey, 92 percent of Americans trust recommendations from friends and family more than they trust any other type of marketing.
Social media is a logical channel for encouraging word of mouth marketing. Use posts to share valuable content, promote success stories and encourage referrals. Often, consumers follow brands because they want inside scoop and discounts. Also of note, according to Bright Local, 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as they trust personal recommendations. Creating your own valuable content and increasing content-rich visibility in social media helps build your online reputation.