So you’ve got a customer who isn’t 100% satisfied with your product or service. How you handle it – and them – can make the difference between good press and bad.

First, acknowledge them. Even if you disagree, even if you don’t see the problem, let them know you’re listening.

Second, do everything in your power to make it right… even if you disagree! You have someone who believed enough in your product to give it a try — you can’t afford for them to walk away. Give it to them free. Offer them a discount on a futre purchase. Do whatever you can to make things right. It’s called customer service, and nothing is more important when it comes to building word of mouth.

The good news is, if you cater to an unhappy customer they are more likely to change their mind about the experience. If you can turn a bad experience into a good one, you’ve made *huge* strides toward building good buzz. A customer who feels they’ve been heard is often your staunchest advocate.

So listen to them, no matter how hard it is to hear something negative about your product or service. Do everything in your power to turn it around. And watch the good word of mouth flow forth like the coffee at Starbucks.

Have you noticed we haven’t been around lately? Life got in the way of blogging. But that’s no excuse. And so I humbly apologize and vow to do better.
Are your customers wondering where YOU are? Have you reached out to them lately? Thanked them for their business? Don’t leave your customers hanging. To get – and keep – word of mouth buzzing, you need to keep your clients talking about you. So send ‘em a thank you note. Offer them a discount. Host an event and invite each and every one of them.
And whatever you do, don’t give them a reason to shout, “Yoo hoo … anyone home?!”

Word of mouth is powerful but it only works if your target audience sees that there is something in it for them. If you’re trying to create buzz about your product, service, or company, you’ll get far better results if that buzz includes why it helps the consumer.

For example, I saw a blog by Michael Martine, who wrote “WOM has to serve those who spread it.” He talked about a local company who’s slogan is “We want you as one of our stark raving fans!” As he points out, no one cares what the company wants – they only care about what they themselves want.

Ask yourself what’s in it for them? What does your company, product or service have to offer them? WHY would they want to talk about it? If you have a strong, solid answer to that question, you’ve got word of mouth in the making … and a whole lot of excited consumers on the horizon.