Most business leaders understand how important their business reputations are, and they also understand that they earn their reputation through their performance in the market place. In the recent past, it’s also been possible to advertise your way to a good reputation, but the growing numbers of customer-generated business reviews on the Web make that strategy less promising every year.
Almost all small business owners tell me that print and media advertising do very little good for their businesses. In this age of Tivo, SPAM filters, and do-not-call lists, prospective customers are not interested in reading, watching, and listening to ads. They want to use the Web to research your products and your business reputation, and they want your marketing efforts to provide them with useful information and offers for no-obligation engagement.
Unfortunately, many business owners want to take that old yellow pages ad and run it on Facebook. They can certainly do that, but it won’t bring in many new customers. Other business owners advertise heavily on television, but they have a long string of hostile reviews in Google Maps, and they wonder why the TV advertising isn’t working anymore. Several local car dealers have customer reviews with titles like, “Liar” or “Dishonest,” and they wonder why their Internet marketing isn’t very effective.
So if advertising isn’t working, what it? It’s good, old fashioned word of mouth, greatly amplified by the Web. Do a great job for your customers and each satisfied customer will tell 1000 prospective customers by leaving a good Web review for your business. A good review now has the same reach as a bad one, and a string of good reviews provide benefits to your business for years to come.
Make developing loyal customers and asking for recommendations a part of your normal business processes. If IX Brand SEO can help you launch a customer feedback program, we’d be glad to do it. Please contact me with any questions.
