The most inexpensive but powerful sales force which you can recruit (in fact, they volunteer without being asked!) for your brand is comprised of uncompensated, satisfied and enthusiastic customers or end-users. This is especially true in the consumer goods sector, but it also applies to B2B commerce as well.
Every satisfied customer is potentially a connector, an expert or a person of influence who can convince or otherwise persuade others in his or her social and/or business sphere to purchase your brand. These people are, in the most positive sense, your infiltrators and viralizers [a Lingovation]. Their word-of-mouth has the powerful benefit of being non-advertorial and uncompensated -- their "testimony" rings true.
If these people are encouraged to utilize social media to spread word of their newly-discovered (or historically-grounded) faith in your brand, this evangelical effect acquires further resonance, reverberation and a longer tail.
Apple is the ideal example of a company that uses this volunteer army of missionaries to support their marketing and sales efforts.
An interesting article follows for your consideration:
Companies are now crawling with Apple sales representatives -- not paid representatives, but end-users. Read the ZDNet Article. Then come back to us! (We'll wait) | |
The ultimate goal in this sales approach is not merely to build an army of brand missionaries, but to make them into a social community -- something like a company cult, without the brainwashing, KoolAid, weird oaths and pledges or other common Waco-type associated pejoratives. These people interact as a growing group, and they seek to expand the group as new "believers" are brought in.
From the standpoint of behavioral psychology:
1. people like to express their opinions;
2. people like to join clubs;
3. clubs, like living organisms, tend to develop a life force of their very own, and strive to grow larger and more influential.
Having said this, wouldn't it be wonderful to do everything in your power to create and grow an outspoken, dues-free fan club? I think so.
Douglas E. Castle for The Mad Marketing Tactics Blog
#MadMarketing
0 comments:
Post a Comment