Marketing is a crucial aspect of every business. By spreading the word to the right audience, you can encourage valuable customer referrals and bring in new business.
But although referrals are often considered the “holy grail” of marketing, they’re not the only way to include customers in your marketing efforts. From social media mentions to hashtag campaigns, there’s more opportunity for creative customer engagement than ever before. For more ideas, check out these tips from the experts of Forbes Communications Council to make your customers a bigger part of your marketing campaigns.
1. Documentary-Style Videos
Marketing often focuses on the "what." With customers, you can shift the conversation to "why," and the best way to do that is through documentary-style video. This format allows your audience to achieve a 360-degree understanding and put themselves in the shoes of a customer. The emotional impact of such a format helps your business to transcend the typical objections and market more effectively. - Patrick Ward, High Speed Experts
2. Photo-Sharing Contests
User-generated content is gold on social media. When your audience is taking photos with your product or branding and sharing it online, it organically increases your online presence. To encourage more customers to share their photos, it helps to provide incentive. Run a contest where people can enter to win a gift card by sharing a photo with your product and tagging your business. - Antoine Bonicalzi, Cyberimpact
3. Retold User-Generated Customer Stories
Make the customer the hero, but also tell their story. User-generated content can be a powerful tool when used properly, but it does require a lot of filtering. Comb through your customer’s stories and experiences and choose one or two to retell in a very brand-centric lens. They’ll love you for it and others will want to have their stories retold as well. - Wayne Leeloy, G7 Marketing
4. Customer Engagement Events
Our B2B software company hosts an annual client conference to provide product training, roundtables, peer-to-peer networking and product showcases—not to mention awesome evening social events. A quarter of our client base comes, and we also invite special VIP prospects. There is no better way to close a deal (or upsell/cross-sell) than to put prospects in a room with a bunch of happy customers. - Amanda Sullivan, TEAM Software
5. Co-Content Creation Initiatives
In the B2B space, one great way to engage customers in your marketing programs is by creating joint content. Whether it's a joint white-paper, co-written article or partner webinar, this approach drives value for you and your customer. This type of content provides a built-in testimonial, along with an introduction to your customer's audience when they distribute the content. It's a true win-win. - Tom Wozniak, OPTIZMO Technologies, LLC
6. Ads Featuring Client Feedback
We've experienced a good volume of leads at a good cost-per-lead from running client video testimonials as video ads on LinkedIn and Facebook, targeting people who have already been to our website. By having our clients explain why we're great, instead of it coming from us, it becomes more believable and relatable to our prospective clients. - Corey Quinn, Scorpion
7. Affiliate Programs
An affiliate program can be a great way to formalize the referral process, especially in B2B. Customers who refer new clients get a revenue share that you set, aligning incentives. You can even customize rewards for lead referrals. Sign up for a management software like ShareASale or CJ Affiliate and invite folks to join your program. A personalized link automatically tracks and rewards referrals. - Ellen Sluder, RingBoost
8. Interactive Content
Consumers today love to co-create brand interaction, and they also like that interaction to be personalized. This is where interactive content comes in. Offer potential customers an interactive widget or calculator that will help them learn something about themselves or find out which product is right for them. Then encourage them to share their results. - Erin McCoy, Killer Infographics
9. An Upfront, Comprehensive Campaign
Even before you get the deal signed, start talking to your customer about the benefits of customer marketing. Many companies make the mistake of asking customers for references and referrals that end up being a last-minute burden. Instead, customer marketing should be a comprehensive campaign in which you honor and highlight the positive work they are doing with your service and technology. - Alison Murdock, socialchorus.com
10. User-Generated Content With Calls To Action
Leveraging your customers’ user-generated content across your brand’s marketing strategy drives inspiration and community. In fact, more than half of consumers say they’d be more likely to continue engaging with and purchasing from a brand if it shared their content. Feature customer-created content across your website and social channels, then make it actionable with "buy now" buttons. - Mallory (Blumer) Walsh, Stackla
11. Video Testimonials
Rather than simply using printed customer testimonials, take it to the next level by incorporating video testimonials into your marketing efforts. We all connect with humans, so put a human face to the story. Customer videos evoke emotions that the written word may not. - Amber Mullaney, QSR Automations Inc
12. Brand Ambassadorship Programs
By using your customer satisfaction scores or NPS data, identify your highly engaged and satisfied customers. If possible, hire a video production company and capture authentic testimonials that can be shared in your customer newsletters, social media and for new business pitches. Leverage them for speaking opportunities to showcase the impact you are making on their brand and bottom-line. - Katharine Mobley, First Advantage
13. Incentivized Referrals
Some product experiences are just so good that customers organically rave about them. For every other situation, you have to incentivize. A great way to do that is to allow your customer to promote their own business by promoting yours. Publish their referral in a very visible place, like your website. - Jon Falker, GLIDR
