 The internet is like a tsunami in the ocean. While it’s easy to assume that it is the result of a technological surge or some sort of digital phenomenon, in reality, it’s driven by people, and despite what an organisation may try to do to resist, the wave cannot be stopped. Customers are consuming information millions of times a day searching for content, browsing for information and hunting for reviews, and the access given by platforms, portals, websites and apps are all merely surfboards in facilitating these interactions. Your customers are looking for your online evidence According to BrightLocal’s Local Consumer Review Survey in 2014, 88% of people search for online reviews to determine the quality of a business. This means that, despite expensive advertising and mainstream marketing efforts, customers are still taking the word of others to assist them in forming an opinion over most other communication methods. The younger generation of Marketing professionals appreciate this, as they’ve grown up with this being an integral part of their lifestyle, however the more experienced generations still unfortunately undervalue the power this type of content has on customers. In the same survey, it was found that 87% of people also trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation; a statistic which has grown significantly in the last four years from 40%! This is a phenomenal shift in the way that people are utilising the internet when making purchasing decisions.  Consumers are making this change a reality Consumers are driving this shift. They are quickly changing the way they inform themselves via the internet, and Marketing must learn to adapt to utilise this medium effectively by encouraging reviewing systems, promoting testimonials and enabling brand advocacy. It’s a positive thing for industries, as it simultaneously provides a free PR campaign that is often far more powerful than any paid advertising, and keeps organisations accountable for their products and services. After all, according to the Harvard Business Review 2013, 57% of decisions are made by customers before they have even made contact directly with an organisation! Review websites are everywhere now! And your customer knows it  This is why a lot of organisations, such as RateMyAgent.com.au, ProductReview.com.au and Zomato.com.au have spawned- to create an accessible platform where people can log in and even use their own social media accounts to offer their feedback, which others are very willing to read and trust.
With this comes the obvious legitimacy issue. Reviews must be truthful and genuine, otherwise they can backfire on the organisation. Interestingly enough, consumers have developed a natural instinct when selecting and interpret reviews. The new culture sees people read all ranges of reviews and then naturally dismiss silly, unwarranted, fake or even old feedback, and seek out the legitimate ones. Peer-to-peer reviews are increasingly becoming the most trusted source of information on the internet when it comes to an organisation’s products. It’s therefore essential for Marketing to not only encourage and manage these, but also ensure that the product deserves its positive reviews, and then promote such reviews to other potential customers in order to capitalise on this medium. This kind of crowd-sourcing is relatively inexpensive and very powerful in creating a strong brand-advocacy message. How can Melotti Media help you? Good content leads to a great experience for your customers, who will leave you positive reviews! At Melotti Media, we understand that high quality copywriting is essential for business success, but it is easier said than done. You’re time poor and spread thin, and writing isn’t your expertise. So focus on what really matters, while we take care of all of your copywriting and marketing needs. If you need further clarification about content, or if you need a quality copywriter to get the results you need, contact me now at chris@melottimedia.com.au. Or leave a comment, below. I can sharpen your words to achieve your goals, today! Christopher Melotti Melotti Media Copywriting and Marketing Solutions www.melottimedia.com.au TheCopywritingBlog.com.au  Are you whinging or are you winning in business? It's a rough, tough business world out there! Yet some succeed while others fail. So how do you and your organisation stay afloat? Remind youself of this: the only thing every individual in business (and life, for that matter) deserves is an opportunity; the rest is completely up to us to take it. The problem is, we all know this truth, yet not many act on it. Opportunities come by several times a day:
Don't say "one day." Have you set your New Year's Resolutions? Does your business have all of its strategic objectives set in place already, ready for a big year? Do it all right now, with what you have and then improve along the way. Because a year from today, your future-self will wish that you had have started today. It's like what Richard Branson says: "Say yes, and then work it out later." Be a purpose-driven organisation and move forward- not for perfection, but for advancement. No one person or business is ever perfect, but you can't choose to hide away until you've read every resource available or prepared for every scenario; there comes a point where you need to keep moving and gain real-world experience to grow and learn. And with that, some things succeed, and others fail. However, true success is all about your ability to absorb failure, learn and move on, despite how much it hurts. You can't be afraid of making choices and running with it; it's better to head in a direction and learn from victories and losses, than remaining in neutral, wondering why everyone else is getting ahead and you aren't.  It all comes down to what you and your organisation really want to do.
Are you going around in unfulfilling circles? Or are you proudly endeavouring every day with a solid mission? The problem is, many people and organisations have no idea what their goals actually look like! So a better way to discover your ideal path is to know what you don't want. When you rule out what you dislike and what the business wants to steer clear of, you will often uncover what you acutally do want. In the end, remember: truly successful people always hold two ironclad beliefs: (1) Tomorrow can be even better than today (2) I have the ability to make that so. Goodluck! Christopher Melotti Melotti Media- Marketing and Writing Solutions. www.melottimedia.com.au |
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