A word of mouth referral is a powerful marketing tool. According to the Nielson Ratings, people trust referrals from friends and family 92% more than any other type of advertising. Why? Because people trust the source of the referral. Traditional media advertising – be it print, television, radio, or cold calling – has traditionally been viewed with skepticism. It is, after all, the company’s view of itself. When you get a review from someone else, you are getting their firsthand experience.
How can you Reinforce A Word-of-Mouth Referral?
So how does your website fit into all of this? Your website provides the background that a simple word of mouth referral does not. A word of mouth referral is only a few sentences long and consists mostly of personal experience. It doesn’t consistently go into the services that your business offers or the qualities that make it better than the rest. Having an informative, easily navigable, and strongly designed website makes the conversion from word-of-mouth to active customer much more smooth.
Here are some pointers on how to use your website for this purpose:
Testimonials & Reviews
Showcase client testimonials and reviews prominently on your website. Showing real reviews will authenticate your customers’ positive experiences and can be persuasive to new clients. A great place to find reviews for your company is on your Google My Business Profile. You can take the reviews directly from your GMB Profile and embed them strategically to your homepage or throughout the site. There are plenty more ways you can use GMB to your advantage, if you’re interested in learning more click here.
Shareable Content
Create valuable, shareable content for your website that is easily accessible. This could include informative blog postings, how-to manuals, infographics, or videos. Encourage visitors and clients to share this content with their networks, spreading the word about your company via social media or by referring back to your website.
Social Media Integration
Integrate social media sharing buttons on your website to make it easy for users to share your content or recommend others to your business via social media. Make sure you connect your social media profiles to your website so that people can follow and interact with you on those platforms. If you’re looking to step-up your social media game, we can help you out. Click here to learn about the social media marketing services we offer!
Customer Success Stories
Share customer success stories on your website. Written testimonials, video testimonials, or interviews can all be used. These stories provide true accounts of how your products or services have made a difference in the lives of actual people, strengthening your company’s credibility.
Optimize for Mobile
Make sure you have a mobile friendly website. If a potential client hears about your company and wants to do a quick search on their smartphone, you will want your mobile site to make a great first impression. Visitors will be more likely to engage with your website and recommend it to others if it delivers a flawless mobile experience.
Social Media: The New “Word-of-Mouth”
Social media posts also count as word-of-mouth referrals. When a customer posts on their social media accounts that they had a favorable experience with your company and posts a link, make sure you respond! Take a few minutes to acknowledge and thank them for their review on the social media platform that they used. The one-on-one contact will make your customer feel heard and the interaction on your customer’s post will show their followers the same. According to Forbes, 81% of US respondents indicated posts from their friends directly influenced their purchase decision.
This is why networking is so important in the business world. It really is who you know and getting word of mouth referrals. So get those nice new business cards with your website on them and get out into the world! Compete Now is equipped to help you design a website that showcases your strengths and create new leads by allowing existing clients to refer your services to their friends and family. Click here or call 617-539-6528 to get in touch with our team today.
