We here at Smartson are professionals when it comes to recommendations – and so are you. We are faced with recommendations every day; from the supermarket to the dentist or through the digital medium. We can easily get tips on how to fry cheese puffs, how to create Instagram friendly breakfasts and where you can find the best wines. Still, it’s your best friend that you trust the most when it comes to a recommendation. As you probably know, studies continue to show that word-of-mouth marketing is the most effective way to build credibility and trust with your consumers. We can help you take advantage of that. Do you want to become a recommended brand? Here are our four top tips:
Let the consumers be the co-creators of your brand
1. OpennessYou need to have a personal and inviting appeal – in every channel and in every meeting. Let the consumers be the co-creators of your brand, it’s a success factor that will add more depth to your message and it will create a closer contact with those who are genuinely interested in your product. When the consumer is seen as a resource for your brand, the effect is positive – for both brand awareness and innovation.
2. CredibilityCredibility is an important building block for many successful brands. It’s more important than we think - building trust does not happen overnight and it’s very easy to dismantle. Through our partnerships, we have seen the positive effect of admitting a mistake and showing the desire to make improvements. When you take the consumer feedback under consideration, a lot of the times there will be positive change in your product. Showing both good and bad sides of a product (no one’s perfect) is a way to build credibility efficiently. A study conducted in 2012 by Reevoo, shows that 68 percent of the participants rely more on reviews when both positive and negative results are presented.
We believe in real stories that create value for others.
3. SharingThe digital revolution allows every individual the opportunity to become creative content creators. Content can be shared the second after it was created. This is of course alluring for the sender, but it’s also relevant for those who take part of the content. We believe in real stories that create value for others. Our tip to increase engagement with your consumers is to help those who share to be perceived as smart, helpful and funny. With promoted content or storytelling, you then accelerate the spread and the custom made work on your brand is effectively strengthened by user-generated content from active consumers. Hashtag-driven campaigns are a good source to work with - sharing is caring, yes?
4. Long-termTo become a recommended brand, a long-term communication plan is required. The digital channels simplify this work. We cost-effectively create interactions with the target audience using both small and large activities. Prospective consumers can constantly show their interest in your product, apply to participate and share their experiences with us and others which means new content is created and new buyers interact. The trend today is that there is a wish to have a recommended range rather than just one recommended product. An example of a client that has this long-term thinking is Nestlé Infant Nutrition, who together with us allows families in Sweden, Norway and Finland to experience and recommend a greater part of their baby food assortment.
We hope you enjoyed our tips. Do you want to become a recommended brand and work with us? Contact us here.
Written by Malin Ljung, Stina Hedin and Karl Händel.Smartson 2016.