digital word of mouth

WordofMouthDIGITALLetCustomersTransformYourMarketingTableofContents_____________________________________HowImportantIsCustomerVoice?.....................................................page3PRFiasco|ThePowerofPositiveSharingWhatisCustomerEvangelism…………………………………….…….page5Definition|TargetAudience|ImplicationsHowHasWordofMouthEvolvedOnline?………….…………..….….page7SocialMedia|EngagementTacticsCustomerEvangelismFitsEveryBudget…………………………..….page11Expenses|ROIEthicsinWordofMouthMarketing………………………………….…page14FailedExperiments|DisclosurePoliciesHowtoLeverageCustomerEvangelism……………………………….page16CaseStudies|TestimonialsMeasureResultsRegularly……………………………………………….page19Tracking|SurveysConclusion……………………………………………….………………….page20FinalThoughts|AdditionalResourcesHowImportantIsCustomerVoice?__________________________________ThevoiceofafewisallittooktounleashaPRfiascoforfoodmanufacturerNestleinMarch2010.InprotestagainstNestle’susageofpalmoilfromcompaniesthatkillIndonesianrainforests,Facebookusersputupanti-Nestlelogosastheirprofilepictures.1Nestleaskedthemtoremovetheseimages,triggeringevenmorediscontentfromthe“fans.”TheseconversationssnowballedintoaPRfiascoforthecompany.ButhowisthisdynamicdifferentfromthewayPRhasalwaysworked?1GemmaO'ReillyandKateMagee,NestléfacesFacebookcrisisoverGreenpeacerainforestallegations,(andconstant)flowofinformationamongdifferentsocialnetworksmakesthevoiceofeverysinglecustomerthatmuchstronger.(Tweetthis)Thisiswherecustomerevangelismbecomescritical.TweeteBook|HappyVoicesReachFurther__________________________________Thefactthatthecustomer’svoicehasgottenloudershouldn’tscareyou.Onthecontrary,itshouldmotivateyoutobeabettermarketer.Ithighlightstheideathatifyourcustomersarehappy,theywillsharesatisfactoryexperienceswithabroadersocialnetworkandearnyoumorefollowers.Infact,peoplewhosharepositiveemotionstendtohavealargerfollowing.(Tweetthis)ThispremiseisbackedupbyHubSpot’ssocialscientistDanZarrella’sanalysisofover100,000Twitteraccounts.Negativeremarks,whichincludednegativefeelingsandmorbidcomments,belongedtopeoplewithsmallerreach.22DataShowsthatNegativeRemarksLeadtoFewerFollowers,DanZarrella,Feb11th,2010,’sresearchoflinguisticcontentshowsthatpositivecommentsarethesecondmostshareditemamongFacebookusers.Sohowdoyoutakeadvantageofthisphenomenon?Byencouragingyourcustomerstobecomemarketingevangelists.TweeteBook|WhatisCustomerEvangelism?__________________________________Customerevangelismisatypeofword-of-mouthmarketinginwhichacompanydevelopsaloyalbaseofcustomerswhovoluntarilyspreadpositivemessagesaboutit.Customersbecomepassionateabouttheserviceorproductofferedbythecompanyandwillinglyadvocateforit.GuyKawasaki,authorofninemarketingbooks,callsthispractice“customerreligion.”3(Tweetthis)Thetargetofcustomerevangelismisapoolofexistingcustomers.As“evangelists,”happycustomersengageothersinpositivecommunicationaroundaspecificserviceoraproductinorderto“convert”them.Itisanorganicprocessinwhichtheaudienceistheevangelist’sownsocialnetwork.3BenMcConnell,JackieHuba,Creatingcustomerevangelists:howloyalcustomersbecomeavolunteersales,ForewardbyGuyKawasaki5EvangelismMarketing&theNotionof“CustomerReligion”Photocredit:Mr.TinDCTweeteBook|6Customerevangelismalsohasimplicationsaboutthetypeofcustomeryouare.Whenyoulovetheproductsandservicesyouuseandwanttosharethemwithothers,youbecomeanactivecustomer—anopinionleaderwhomakesconsciouspurchasedecisions.Thisrecognitionofcustomerpowerdrivesmorefollowingforthebrand.(Tweetthis)AsbasketballlegendBillWaltonnotedinarecentHubSpotwebinar,talkingdowntopeopleisoneofthebiggestmistakesbrandsmake.“Treatyouraudiencewithrespect,”hesaid,emphasizingtheneedforbuildingtrustworthyrelationshipswithcustomers.“Itiswhatkeepsyoucomingback,”Billadded.Apple,forinstance,tookfulladvantageofthisopportunityforbuildingvibrantcustomerconversations.“AfterwelaunchedtheMacintoshin1984,hundredsofMacintoshusergroupsspranguparoundtheworld,”4observedKawasakiwhoworkedforAppleinthe1980s.“TheysustainedMacintoshwhenApplecouldn’t—orwouldn’t.”Photocredit:kickerclub.com4BenMcConnell,JackieHuba,Creatingcustomerevangelists:howloyalcustomersbecomeavolunteersales,ForewardbyGuyKawasakiCustomersasOpinionLeaders&Fans__________________________________TweeteBook|7Thoughword-of-mouthpromotionexistedbeforetheemergenceofdigitalmedia,itspowerhasnowbeenreinforcedbythisnewplatform.AccordingtoastudybyPQMediaspendingonword-of-mouthmarketingincreasedby35.9percentin2006.5(Tweetthis)Indisputably,onefactorthathascontributedtothe