Testimonials, or endorsements, are arguably one of the most powerful promotional tools we can have in our armoury, especially since recommendations are around eight times more powerful than anything we can say about ourselves.

When all other things appear to be equal, or at least largely similar, positive support from an independent third party can swing the odds in our favour. When a prospective employer offers a position to their preferred candidate they usually do so ‘subject to references’. Whilst we accept what the person themselves says, we look for independent comment to support their application.

The same is true for businesses. Feedback and testimonials from past clients are often sought when trying to decide which provider to choose. The one that has most positive, current testimonials will often be the one that’s selected. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re in business it’s highly likely that at some point you will have been asked whether you follow a B2B (business to business) or B2C (business to consumer) model. The question is usually asked to help clarify what kind of marketing, positioning and processes and systems you might need as these can vary depending on the type of business you operate.

Making distinctions of this kind can be useful in some cases, however what’s more important is understanding that every business needs to be P2P – Person to Person. People do business with people. More importantly people do business with people they like and trust.

The more personally engaged and focused you are the more likely you are attract and retain loyal clients and raving fans. That means focusing on the individuals you deal with at a truly personal level and not considering them as a homogeneous mass. Read the rest of this entry »

Photo: Russ Frushtick

Although articles and blog posts in January lend themselves well to the ‘New Year resolutions’ or ‘predictions’ type pieces for the year ahead this year being ‘flawsome’ is a trend I think will come to the fore.

‘Flawsome’ came in at number 8 on Trendwatching.com’s top 12 crucial consumer trends for 2012 and means the more humanly a brand or company behaves – admitting and even showing their flaws – the more awesome they’ll be perceived. Trendwatching notes:

“consumers won’t expect brands to be flawless; they will even embrace brands that are FLAWSOME*, and at large (or at least somewhat) human. Brands that are honest about their flaws, that show some empathy, generosity, humility, flexibility, maturity, humor and dare we say it, some character and humanity. Read the rest of this entry »

Love it or hate it, KFC’s ‘Double Down’ burgers were a triumph of word-of-mouth marketing in New Zealand.

KFC reported it had sold 16,000 of the burgers in just three hours on the day of launch and more than 34,000 by 4.00 pm the same day – all without any traditional advertising whatsoever.

Media coverage included slots on state broadcaster TVOne’s Close Up and Breakfast programmes, and TV3’s Campbell Live; as well numerous mentions on commercial and national radio as a news item.

But the real force in driving up sales were blogs, Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms where people could share their support or outrage at the 600 calories, carbohydrate-free ‘gut-filler‘. Me blogging about it now is a perfect case in point, even it I’m focusing on the marketing element of the campaign, rather than the product itself! Read the rest of this entry »

Research indicates it’s 6-7 times more expensive to gain one new customer than it is to retain an existing one and that a 5% increase in customer retention can increase profits by between 25% and 95%!

It therefore makes sense to hang on to the clients and customers you already have, and create a legion of raving fans willing to recommend you, by genuinely and sincerely thanking your existing clients on an ongoing basis.

However, remember details are important. Even the simplest ‘Thank You’ will be met with suspicion and disbelief if the person’s name is spelt wrongly, or some detail about the transaction referred to is incorrect, or someone with a non gender-specific name such as Chris is referred to as ‘he’ when in fact he’s a ‘she’.

Instead of making the person feel valued and respected, administrative errors can generate quite the opposite effect. They can also raise doubts about your sincerity and systems and processes which may never have been thought about had you got it right in the first place.

So how can you minimise these types of errors and enhance your reputation for being great with the details? Read the rest of this entry »

One of the opportunities each New Year brings is the chance to resolve to do things differently in future by way of New Year resolutions.

Even if you haven’t had much success making and keeping resolutions in the past, it may be worth considering the following ‘Reputation Resolutions’ as one or more of them could mean the difference between having a reputation your proud of, and that opens doors wide, and one that slams doors shut because people doubt your integrity and ability to deliver.

So take a look at the suggested reputation resolutions below and focus on one or more that resonates with you. Put them into practice throughout 2011 (and beyond) and you’ll find yourself attracting clients, customers and opportunities and being perceived as a business and individual people are happy to be associated with and recommend.

Top 10 Reputation Resolutions For 2011:

1. I resolve to think before I speak. I have two ears and one mouth and I aim to use them in that proportion!
2. I resolve to hold my tongue and count to three before responding to comments and situations that make me angry or defensive, online or off.
3. I resolve to never bad-mouth anyone, in person or on the internet – ever!
4. I resolve to treat my staff, clients and customers fairly and graciously and value their contributions to our business successes. Read the rest of this entry »

Although we have no direct control over what others may think of us, which creates our reputation, we are certainly able to influence their expectations.

Most of us do so by providing information focusing on logic and intellect. We list features and benefits in promotional materials and give examples as to why our products or services or even we ourselves, are better than the competition.

Although useful, and certainly a part of the reputation mix, providing facts-based information alone will not enhance your reputation as effectively as it could. Engaging your customers’ emotions will.

The most memorable experiences we have are those that make us feel rather than think. The two are closely aligned, of course, but it is how we feel about someone or something, supported by fact-based information, that has the strongest influence on our perception. Read the rest of this entry »

If you think the people you deal with have unrealistic expectations the chances are you’re likely to be responsible in some way.

“How can I be responsible for what someone else expects of me?” you may ask. Well, managing expectations is a two-way process, and if you don’t influence those expectations, and negotiate an outcome that works for both of you, you’re partly responsible for what they may think or assume.

One of the biggest problems of expectations is they are completely subjective. One person’s perception of ‘friendly’ or ’speedy’ might be quite different to someone else and unless we have similar expectations to those we are dealing with we run the risk of being unfairly judged and have our reputation put at risk. The good news is that managing expectations is relatively straight-forward and can help us enhance our reputation and build trust in the process. Read the rest of this entry »

If you find yourself under pressure to provide a multitude of products and services to a vast array of clients be aware you may find yourself run-ragged, and do both yourself and your clients an injustice.

Trying to be ‘all things to everyone’ is fruitless. Far better to develop a laser-focus on the one or two things you are outstanding at and exceed the needs and wants of a smaller number of clients or customers in a way that keeps them coming back for more and recommending others to you.

Although you may be reluctant initially to narrow your options for fear of missing opportunities, the benefits of being niche are tremendous:

• You become expert at what you do because that’s all you do
• You may enjoy yourself more as your depth of knowledge deepens and you become more highly skilled
• You become more memorable and ‘top of mind’ when needed
• Your products, services, messages and positioning are more clearly defined and better understood
• You are able to differentiate yourself more clearly from supposed competitors
• You are less likely to be distracted by ‘opportunities’ that consume time and money that could be better spent elsewhere
• Your perceived value and worth increases and you’re likely to be able to charge higher prices for proven greater value

Read the rest of this entry »

The saying ‘niche to be rich‘ is smart advice. Twitter’s announcement that it’s NOT a social network has raised eyebrows amongst many, however they should’t be surprised. Twitter’s VP for business and corporate development, Kevin Thau, says ‘Twitter is for news, content and information’.

Personally I’m not surprised as I’ve always viewed Twitter as a syndication site rather than social network. It’s a way of spreading and finding information quickly and easily gaining insights into what twitterers think about things.

Twitter’s become a phenomenon partly because it’s been clear about what its purpose and function is. Rather than being seduced into trying to become something it isn’t, it’s steered a tight course and simply become the best at what it does by focusing on its niche.

The benefits of focusing on being niche are tremendous. Amongst others, these include: Read the rest of this entry »