People are much more likely to believe an unsolicited recommendation from a satisfied customer than an advert. And for good reason. This has been recognised in email marketing and many websites allow contributors to add their comments on a product, making them available to any browser. There are dangers in this approach.
The comments are there to encourage trust in the product. Potential purchasers will want to know if it is as described and fits their purpose. A previous customer is the perfect referee. They, after all, have nothing to gain. And what better way to promote email marketing than online?
However a dissatisfied customer can be unreasonable, especially if they want some form of payback. Just clicking the button to unsubscribe from your email lists sometimes might not be enough. Competitors could see it as a way of gaining an advantage, either by deliberately lying or by suggesting that the product can be bought for less elsewhere. So any such facility needs to be monitored.
A less resource intensive way is to amalgamate the search for praise with other forms of contact. You should seek honest feedback. It allows you to assess your product, note what needs to be changed and, most importantly, what you can emphasise in any email marketing you will be sending out at a later date.
A Customer Survey form can be very useful over and above the tick box results. It reassures customers that you have some form of after sales service and the final freestyle comment box can generate some excellent quotes.
But you cannot show source without their express permission and S.A. from Brighton is not really convincing. A follow up phone call can be useful but as it is an expensive method it should be used with discretion. Pick the customer with care. Your email marketing software will tell you which of those on your email lists are worth most to you.
A short time after a purchase ask them if they are happy with the item. An off the cuff comment can often be generous and all you have to do is ask: “That’s very kind. May I quote you on that?”
