Word of mouth is a strong part of promoting a business and building a brand. We all ask for reviews and many will leave them freely but are there other ways we can create a brand community.
Fostering community and encouraging customers to engage with each other and feel part of a supportive group can have a very positive effect on how they view a brand, especially if that brand engages in that group, listens to their views and takes actions. It’s like a franchise network, listen to everyone and acknowledge and communicate which things will work or not on a national/global level. Also being relatable to your customers shows an understanding of them, a sense of being in it with them and engaging in two way communications. Franchisees engaging on a local level with their customers enhances the message of a local business owner in their area. This should help brands connect where some larger global brands can’t achieve this.
However saying this many global product based brands are encouraging customers to share their orders through social media via images and videos, many have created groups of ambassadors and influencers who spread the word of the brand for them.
With incentives to share their honest reviews its important to highlight the legal requirements around this according to the gov.uk website –
What do you need to do if you are a business whose products/services are being reviewed?
- Don’t pretend to be a customer and write reviews about your products or other businesses’ products
- Don’t commission third parties to write fake reviews – you may be liable for their actions
- If you are working with a third party – such as a PR, marketing or Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) agency – make sure they also follow these rules
- Don’t offer inducements – money or gifts – to customers to write positive reviews about your business
Businesses that mislead consumers may be in breach of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.
- Websites that publish reviews should make sure that they provide the full picture to their audience and comply with the law.
- Businesses, media agencies or individuals that publish opinions online should make sure that content which has been paid for is clearly identifiable. Otherwise the business, media agency and the person publishing the content might break the law.
- This information explains what review sites, businesses, media agencies and those publishing opinions online should do to make sure they comply with consumer protection law.
So bearing this in mind, engagement with customers is key on both a local and national level, build relationships, listen to them and communicate well.
Build a brand that customers want to shout about!
