A recent study found that 80% of consumers believe that business is too concerned about profit and not enough about responsibilities to customers, workers, and the environment. Mix in the ability for everyday citizens to Google your company’s corporate responsibility or employment equity record, and a growing distrust of traditional marketing practices and you have a customer demographic that is hard to win over.
Brand relationships are just like personal relationships, if your character is shallow or inauthentic, your friends won’t stick around. These days, truth is the key to consumer brand loyalty.
So, how do you market truth to the masses? If price point is the key differentiator between you and your competitors, then low price guarantees and Saturday morning sales flyers may do the trick. If the freshness of your coffee and donuts will drive customer traffic to your door, mouth-watering photography and free samples may be a good marketing approach.
But in the world of hospitality, healthcare, education, and financial services, customer relationships are based much more on trust. Marketing promises made about caring staff and great customer service ring hollow until consumers experience it first hand – or hear it from a trusted source.
And that’s where customer testimonials come in. If you introduce someone that your audience can identify with, and share an authentic story about a great experience they had with company, you lay the foundation for a closer (and more profitable) relationship with your prospects.
The goal of a customer story is to leverage common ground and engage people in an emotional and relevant way. The story you choose to share will vary depending on your target demographic and your strategic objectives. If you want to appeal to a certain market segment, (female boomers, for example) you will feature a woman from that segment and share a story about her experiences with your company that her peers identify with.
Customer stories are like business referrals from friends and family. They provide personal insight and context that current and prospective customers will appreciate. When you combine model employees and loyal customers in the same story, you get the best of both worlds.
Watch for my article on Success Stories, coming soon!
