Have you ever stood in line at the movie theatre to watch people coming out of the show you want to see?
Did you look at their faces and listen to their conversations amongst themselves to determine if you’ve made the right choice?
Now, likely you wouldn’t know any of the people coming out of the movie theatre but somehow their reactions matter.
Just like the reviews on a website.
You may not be familiar with the individuals who write the reviews or know their motivation behind reviewing in the first place, but that section of a brand’s presentation can hold considerable weight in the decision-making process.
Why is it that regardless of any amount of statistical evidence or information that other’s experiences matter most?
Aha – (spell check doesn’t like the word but here goes) Relatability.
Real-life stories can’t be matched.
You see, as carefully crafted as a brand message might be, personal stories of triumphant problem-solving are what seal the deal.
But we’re not impressed with self-congratulatory stories. We’re looking for candid, genuine ones from users just like us.
Years ago we called it, “Word of mouth advertising”. Now, it’s framed as, “Social proof”.
And, “Forrester Research shows that today’s B2B consumer will find three pieces of content about a vendor for every one piece that is published or delivered by marketing or sales.” writes Content Strategist, Jenna Hanington.
The moral of the story? Users hold your brand.
They will share the good, the bad, and the ugly when given the opportunity.
So ... give them that opportunity.
Encourage your customers to write reviews, participate in surveys, be interviewed, and tweet about you (so you can post those tweets on your website).
Most importantly, give them something to talk about.
Hey, here’s an idea. What if you held a contest for the reviews that got the most ‘likes’?
We have just the gift for you to thank the winners.
Find your perfect contest gift right here.
Succeed Deliberately!
Jae M. Rang, MAS
Strategist, Speaker, Author, Mom
