Not that long ago, most Americans lived in small towns. In those days you built your business on word of mouth. Everyone knew everyone else, so word got around. If you were honest, delivered a good product or service, and took care of your customers people knew it and your business grew. If not, you were out of business pretty quick.
Then the country started getting bigger and less connected. You could get away with being unethical or substandard because there was always another sucker out there to fleece.
If you were doing things the right way, your business would grow, but since people weren’t as connected with their neighbors, word of mouth spread much more slowly.
Your bigger competitors could afford to advertise much more than you could.
Guess what? With the Internet there has never been a better time to become successful by being honest and delivering great customer service.
The Internet has done two big things:
1) Created small towns again.
How?
People are connecting again. Yes, it’s the virtual world, but it’s still connecting.
The people you serve are talking about you on their social networks. If they love you, most of their “friends” and “followers” will hear about it.
If they hate you, ALL of them will hear about it.
Since you have a great product/service and you super serve your customer, this is a great time for you!
Depending on what you do, look at all the ways your customers can rave – or rant – about you now:
- Yelp
- Google reviews
- Amazon reviews
- Goodsnitch
- Foursquare (not just for “checking in”)
- MerchantCircle.com
- Yahoo! Local Listings
- Angie’s list
- Insider Pages
- City Search
- Consumer Search
- Consumer Reports
- BBB
- Bing Places for Business
- Manta
- Judy’s Book
- Open Table
- Epinions,
Your reputation is built or destroyed depending on what you provide the customer. They are talking. What are they saying about you?
2) The Internet has also allowed you to reach a huge audience without spending any – or very little – money.
How?
Provide something of value to people on your social media outlets. Show them how much you care and want to serve them. Give them some free tips/strategies/referrals/stuff. Engage with them. Serve them. (Are you catching on to how important it is to serve others?)
They will become raving fans, buy from you when they need what you have, and be there for you when you need them.
And for a pittance of what traditional advertising costs, you can reach your true fans with social media advertising, webinars, podcasts and emailings.
What a great time to be someone who super serves people!
“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.”
–Zig Ziglar