The Importance Of Having Your Customers Advertise For You

It’s been said before. And it will certainly be said many times again. So allow us to say it now! There is no better type of promotion than word-of-mouth promotion. Simply put, if your customers are spreading the good word about your business, your business is doing well. You see, word-of-mouth promotion technically doesn’t cost you anything. But its return is great! All you need to do is ensure that you are making your customers happy. They will do the rest.

What makes word-of-mouth promotion so effective? Well, think about it. It’s as genuine a recommendation as you can get. When happy customers spread the word about a business, people know that they haven’t been paid to do so. Knowing that the great experiences being relayed are true, other consumers are encouraged to give the business that provided those experiences a try.
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On SBA.gov, Caron Beesley writes that attaining word-of-mouth advertising begins with having great products and services. “Word of mouth is often a small businesses greatest lead generator, so having great products and services that people talk about is a critical part of your brand and why you are in business,” she believes, “Even the most outgoing and charming small business owner is not going to succeed in bringing customers back, unless the product or service they provide delivers and exceeds expectations.”

Should business owners ask their customers to tell others about their companies? Absolutely! There’s nothing wrong with asking for referrals. Of course, it greatly matters which of your customers you’re asking to refer your brand. Keep in mind that only the most satisfied of your customers make the best word-of-mouth advertisers of your business. Be sure to engage in conversations with your loyal customers to make sure that they are willing to refer your brand.

On TheBalance.com, Susan Ward offers insight on how to best go about asking for referrals. “Having good products and great customer service and just assuming that your customers are passing the word about your business isn’t going to do much to increase your customer base; you have to actively seek referrals,” she advises, “During or after every job or sale, ask your satisfied customer if he knows anyone else who would be interested in your products or services.”

How effective are social media in the world of word-of-mouth promotion? Arguably, there is no better way to have customers spread the word about your business than through the Facebooks and Twitters of the world. While it will always be hard to beat face-to-face interactions, social media allow people to communicate with large numbers of friends and followers within short instances. Feel free to reach out via your own social media channels to encourage word-of-mouth.

“A successful brand is one that is trusted and respected by customers – building a strong community online and off can help you achieve this,” says Beesley, “You don’t have to spend a lot of money to do this. In fact, many successful brands concentrate almost exclusively in online and offline community building as opposed to traditional advertising. Facebook and Twitter are great outlets for this, as is your blog.”

At Synergy Merchants, we greatly support Canadian small business owners who seek to find ways to have the good word about their brands spread throughout their communities. To help with their advertising goals, we offer merchant cash advances that can help get them funding within 24 hours!

For more information about our merchant cash advance program or to speak with one of our licensed funding specialists to get a free, no obligation quote, simply call Synergy Merchants at 1-877-718-2026 or email us at info@synergymerchants.com.