If you have any doubt that word of mouth referrals are important, consider these recent stats:
So, how can you encourage positive word of mouth for your small business?
Try these three strategies.
There’s no way around it: positive word of mouth has to be earned.
Unfortunately, it is exceedingly difficult to prevent negative word of mouth. People are much more likely to share a bad experience than praise a business. (Research shows that 95% of consumers will pass on a negative run-in with a company and more than half will spread the word to at least five other people).
The best way to earn positive referrals is to make your customers feel special each and every time they come in contact with you and your brand.
Here are a few simple ways to win over your customers:
You can increase the odds that customers will spread the good word about your business with an incentive—such as a freebie or discount on their next purchase for completing a review on your website, Google, Yelp, or Angie’s List.
Try an app like Wufoo to set up a simple referral form right on your website. Make it easy to pass on your e-newsletter to more potential customers with a web-based referral system that automates the process.
Remember to ask the folks who praise your products and customer service that you’d love a testimonial for your website, or a shout out on social media. Encourage them to take pictures at your place of business and post from your location. You may also want to offer wifi to encourage them to post especially if you deal with teens or millennials.
On that note, it’s essential to keep track of what people are saying about your brand online—whether the talk is positive or negative. Set up a Google Alert to track your brand and monitor all web content related to it. Be sure to take a moment to thank your fans for their kind words. As an added bonus, replying to positive business reviews can help give them a bump in search results.
Be sure to respond appropriately to negative reviews, too. Consider a bad review an opportunity to make things right. It’s much better to know what people are saying and respond than allow a problem to fester.
Check out this article for useful tips on the right way to respond to positive and negative reviews.
As you make efforts to increase word of mouth for your business, remember this: it’s the element of surprise that really gets people talking about a company. Think about how you can do more than meet your customers’ expectations, but dramatically exceed them. They’ll not only tell their friends about you—they’ll keep coming back for more.
Donna Bordeaux, CPA with Calculated Moves
Creativity and CPAs don’t generally go together. Most people think of CPAs as nerdy accountants who can’t talk with people. Well, it’s time to break that stereotype. Lively, friendly and knowledgeable can be a part of your relationship with your CPA as demonstrated by Donna and Chad Bordeaux. They have over 50 years of combined experience as entrepreneurial CPAs. They’ve owned businesses and helped business owners exceed their wildest dreams. They have been able to help businesses earn many times more profit than the average business in the same industry and are passionate about helping industries that help families build great memories.