How to Turn Your Customer Into A Micro-Influencer for Free Digital Marketing!

Your customer’s your best promoter. A great customer’s worth their weight in gold. A customer willing to promote you to their friends and family, or leave a positive review, can pay off in dividends.

Word-of-mouth advertising in digital marketing trumps all. It always has in marketing. It’s the ultimate ‘new business’ generator. When we hear an opinion we trust give their approval on a product or brand, it knowingly and unknowingly influences our decision-making around said brand in a number of ways.

So how do you turn your customer into an influencer marketing opportunity – there are several ways.

Being the Best Brand You Can Possibly Be on Social Media

The most likely place a customer’s going to promote you is on social media. Users are on social media looking for something to connect with and every user has followers. When they share a social post, it goes out to friends and family.

When you are at your best, customers are more willing to leave a positive post. There’s more motivation, for most social media users, to leave a negative review than a positive one – remember this. For someone to want to leave a positive review and share your brand with followers, you being your best is where it starts.

Thank Your Buyers And Be Kind

A lot of corporations will say they care. A lot do. Some don’t. When a brand is kind and caring towards their customers, it can make a big difference.

Do something kind for them without them asking. This can be as simple as sending them a social media message or an email thanking them for their business. Gratitude is heartwarming. You create a good impression and the perception of your brand in the eyes of the customer increases. Once you have the customer rooting for your success, you’re building loyalty in a way that’s otherwise not possible.

Open Up Your Website and Brand to Customer Reviews

Give your customers the opportunity to leave a review. If you sell eCommerce products, web design should include a space to leave a review. If you aren’t selling direct on site, a section advertising customer testimonials can also work.

When it comes to social media, ensure there is a place to leave reviews. Encourage it. When a customer volunteers their time to write a review, this sort of endorsement can go on and on supporting a stellar online reputation.

Know the Risks of Negative Reviews

A positive comment from a customer can mean free advertising and explosive sales. Unfortunately, a negative comment can also lead to sales problems and lost momentum.

Why Do We Value Word-Of-Mouth Advertising?

 It’s social proof that others have used a service or product.
 It allows us to learn more about a product or service without buying it.
 It helps reduces the possibility of buying something we will regret.
 It gives us a real way to see a product or service’s benefits or limitations.

These are the major reasons every one of us loves word-of-mouth digital marketing. It’s why we pay attention.

It’s this level of curiosity that we hope to tap into by turning a customer into a micro-influencer.

You Don’t Get Free Influencer Marketing Without Asking For It

Every reasonable opportunity you have, consider asking for feedback, a customer review, or a social media share.

Incorporate share buttons liberally into your web design. Encourage sharing in every email marketing message. Any time someone buys a product or service, ask for them to leave a testimonial, write a review, or share a message with a friend.

When you remind a customer how easy it is to leave a review or have their voice heard, a customer’s more likely to contribute something. Here are other appropriate areas to ask for a review or a share.

 In an email confirmation after a product or service purchase.
 At the end of any video marketing message or YouTube video.
 Through the Google My Business feature.
 Through Yelp.

How Can I Incentivize My Customers into Becoming Influencers?

For some people, it’s not enough to be asked to write a review or share a post. For a lot of individuals, some incentive has to be offered.

Time is valuable. In exchange for theirs, you might want to offer a coupon, gift card, a discount on a future purchase, or a contest entry.

The ‘contest entry’ is an attractive idea for various brands. Offer a contest entry for a share on social media or ask them to write a review in exchange for a discount code. There are a few different ways to play it.

Can I Contact My Customers Directly?

If you notice you have a few customers with growing followings, you may want to reach out directly.

The thing about a move like this is that you want to ensure they are connected to your target audience. Any sort of outreach customer-to-influencer marketing isn’t going to work if you’re selecting individuals who are not going to be spreading your message to the right people.

Is a Loyalty Program Worth It For Free Marketing?

Some brands find it advantageous to start a loyalty program. This could involve incentives and rewards in exchange for assistance in getting the word out. Give points for certain customer actions. Start a ‘points board’ for top referrers. Empower your people doing the referring by providing a kickback on any sales derived from them.

A loyalty program will take your customer-to-influencer plan to a whole new level. A lot of brands might not be set up for a referral program. A lot do opt-in and see major rewards. Here are some starting points.

 “Share this code with your friends and get $5 off your next purchase.”
 “Get $100 in credit when five friends sign up.”

What is User-Generated Content?

User-generated content is a content marketing strategy that increases engagement and the amount of content you have.

When you’re creating a micro-influencer from a customer, consider employing user-generated content paired with a contest. Oftentimes, this can be used to successfully solicit participation.

A customer gets the advantage of having something they wrote or created posted on your account. You get the benefit of content and also the advantage of the customer promoting it. Brands that have thousands of customers to tap into can derive massive benefits from a digital strategy like this.

Encourage Customers to Share Their Stories

Storytelling is the most effective form of content in the world. It sells big. Ask your customers to share their stories about your products or services. Re-post those stories. Publicize how your company’s making a difference.

Use these customer or follower stories to build a community around your brand. Especially on social media, all a brand has to do sometimes is create conversation. It’s more about engagement than direct selling.

Encourage your customers to be open. This suggestion may also fall under user-generated content, contests, or even be used as a general social media marketing strategy.

Advocate For Your Brand With Value Action and Shareable Content

If ‘asking’ isn’t your style when it comes to word-of-mouth advertising, try advocating. Do something that gets people talking and which motivates them to share your brand. A charitable action works great.

Alternatively, work on crafting content that’s funny, entertaining, and that gets people talking. Content goes viral not because anybody asked. It’s because of quality. If we approach our brands on social media with the same kind of commitment to posting valuable, share-friendly content, it will share itself. This creates conversation and word-of-mouth you can’t by.

Your customers are a resource. Use them. Mobilize your followers. Increase your marketing revenues. Do so with Unlimited Exposure. Let us help your business take advantage of ALL opportunities. Are you ready to see RECORD-SETTING results – we are!