Tap into the power of customers

Photo by Nik MacMillan on Unsplash

When customers speak, top entrepreneurs listen. The best way to grow a brand is by caring about customers’ reviews.

As Lynette Muthoni says, if a business receives the best reviews from its customers, chances are high they will be ambassadors for the company. The result: more sales.

Nuthoni is a social media digital marketing consultant and founder of Nector Solutions. In an Africa Tweet Chat, she emphasized the value smart business owners should place on their customers’ input.

“Customer reviews are definitely changing the narrative of the reputation of brands on social media,” Muthoni said in an excerpt from her blog. “Each brand growing its presence online and its reputation through reviews defines if customers will visit and purchase — or not.”

Many times in the past, sketchy marketing tactics could boost sales for even the lowest-quality products and services. There was no viable public outlet for consumers to voice their opinions on products and services.

“That’s true,” Muthoni said. “Today, however, consumers have a voice that must be listened to.”

That leads to the importance of customer review.

“It’s feedback from a customer who has purchased and used a product or service or has had an experience with that product or service,” Muthoni said, detailing the review’s value:

  • Customers act as brand ambassadors. Thus, a brand spends less on paid advertising.
  • Reviews establish a relationship between a brand and the consumer.

Although positive reviews are gold, negative reviews are also valuable.

“Negative reviews are important because as brands respond, they it look authentic as they take time to respond to their customers,” Muthoni said. “It’s a chance for brands to notice if there are loopholes in their product or service delivery.”

Unsolicited help

Applying customer suggestions, startups can use reviews to boost their business growth.

“A brand can use reviews as part of its content across its social media platforms,” Muthoni said. “Reviews can be used to improve customer experience through exceptional service delivery.

“Also, it isn’t bad to give 100 percent good ratings,” she said. “Good service never goes unnoticed. Thus, give positive reviews.”

A positive customer review might bring what other marketing efforts cannot.

“Positive reviews serve as a guarantee of the brand’s credibility,” Muthoni said. “Therefore, consumers will get value for their money.

“Such positive reviews help build a reputation that will ascertain a consumer’s decision to purchase,” she said.

Few people will know how well a company is doing unless it shares customer feedback on social media.

“Sharing feedback lets the brand influence another consumer purchase decision,” Muthoni said. “This gives the brand a chance to attract new sales and leads.

“Posting feedback builds your brand reputation both online and off,” she said. “Sharing positive and negative feedback lets future customers know your brand is keen on their needs.”

Positive or not, all reviews do not have to be posted.

“Reviews are mostly visible to the public unless a brand intentionally chooses to delete them, which they should not,” Muthoni said. “On the other hand, if a negative review is given through direct message, you are not obliged to share it.”

It is also fair for brands to “prime the pump” and encourage more positive customer reviews on their social media pages.

“Post positive feedback from other satisfied customers,” Muthoni said. “Ask open-ended questions that will allow interaction with customers to understand why they always return to your brand.

“Use follow-up email or text to find out if the client was satisfied with a product or service,” she said.

About The Author

Jim Katzaman is a manager at Largo Financial Services and worked in public affairs for the Air Force and federal government. You can connect with him on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

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