There are a lot of tools at your disposal that give you a chance to spread the word about your business. Perhaps one of the least costly tools is word of mouth. When used properly, word of mouth can be one of the most powerful, and free, forms of marketing. So how do you use it to your advantage?Â
Display Testimonials
Customer testimonials are a tribute to your business’s qualifications and character. As ThriveHub points out, they can be a powerful tool in building your business’s reputation in a most positive way. You can post them on your business’s website on the home page. There, they can help build consumer confidence and trust in your business. If you don’t already have some, the simplest way to change that is just to ask.
Use Reviews
Like testimonials, reviews have a powerful impact on consumers and how they view your business. Consumers trust insights from their peers more than any other source. The higher your star rating, the more business you are likely to attract. It’s important that you have recent reviews, and a good number of them, too. According to Podium, consumers are less likely to trust older reviews, and having a higher number lends them greater authenticity. Asking for reviews is a great way to boost the number you have, and there’s a good chance a lot of them will be positive. If you want to impact the insights they get, it’s important to respond to reviews, both positive and negative. Carefully crafted responses will get people talking about your business in a similar fashion to the review itself.
Referral Marketing
Your loyal customers can be some of your greatest advocates. Develop a referral marketing program that rewards them for their loyalty and brings in new customers. When inviting people to join your referral program, it may be a good idea to focus on customers with a high Net Promoter Score. These are customers who have had a good enough experience with your business to recommend you to friends and family. Keep an eye out for detractors though. They are more likely to recommend that their friends and family go somewhere else.
Word of mouth can be an amazing tool for your business. Make it work for you by displaying customer testimonials, leveraging the power of reviews, and using referral marketing. This will help you spread the word about your business and build your business’s reputation, all at the same time.
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