Word of Mouth .... To The MAX

How do you rise above marketing clutter and stick in the minds of your customers - A great slogan? A memorable commercial? A stand-out logo? All three are very important - Let's view these as "Hooks".Once a potential customer is on the hook, you have their attention for a very limited time, don't loose it! This is where the "Call to Action" comes into play. We're going to examine a "Call to Action" often times over-looked - the very powerful "Customer Testimonial".What your customer has to say about you in their own words, is one of the most powerful marketing tools in your "call to action" arsenal. If what your customers say is positive, USE IT! It may be in the form of an e-mail, it may be a verbal "I love what you do" mentioned in passing, whatever it is - you need to let other potential customers know about it. Not because you want to boast about how great you are, but because your potential customers WANT TO KNOW WHAT OTHERS THINK ABOUT YOU. Offer it up, because they are looking for it.When you re-iterate a quote from a satisfied customer, you are sending out an un-spoken message of Competency and Trust-worthiness (the two most important things in growing your business). You wont be coming across as boasting or bragging, because you're not the one saying how great you are - a customer is saying it...About You! Now that is powerful. Furthermore, If you do have very satisfied customers, there is nothing wrong with letting the world know about it! Remember - your potential customers WANT TO KNOW WHAT OTHERS THINK ABOUT YOU.The next time you get that positive thank you email save it! If you hear a positive comment in passing, ask that happy customer if they would be so kind as to drop you an email or a letter explaining their thoughts about your products or services (maybe give them a discount or a coupon for their time).These little gems of feedback are priceless when it comes to building a great reputation for your business. They can be used in any and every form of marketing. Put them on your website, have them repeated in radio commercials, lay them out in print. Just be sure to use them, and use them often!