Customer Reviews: A Double-Edged Sword
Companies spend a lot of time and money on marketing and sales campaigns to promote their brand when probably the most powerful advertising tool is happening without their knowledge and without them having to spend a minute or a dime.
This advertising is called word-of-mouth and refers to how consumers provide information to other consumers.
People are talking about your brand to their friends and family and probably on the social networking sites as well. They are doing this without your knowledge or consent so it would be in your best interest to keep track of your reputation as it is being defined by your customers. There is nothing you can do about what is being said in private conversations, but you can and should be tracking what is being said about your brand on the Internet in order to manage your reputation.
Since these conversations are taking place anyway on the web, why not be proactive and use them to your advantage?
Customer reviews sections on websites are becoming increasingly popular as it gives your customers a chance to evaluate your product or service which gives them the message that their opinion matters to you. It also gives potential customers the chance to see what others are saying about your brand. Of course, if you do provide a customer review section on your website, you have to expect that there will be negative comments because someone, somewhere, is going to have a beef about your brand.
You can’t please all of the people all of the time. Unfortunately, people tend to write more negative reviews as a way to let off steam whereas those who are happy with your product or service might not be as inclined to take the time to share their positive experiences with others.
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