Epiphany Marketing's Strategic Marketing Blog

Recently, I was talking with a client who was reluctant to set up a profile on Google Places for his business.

“What if people leave negative reviews?,” he asked. “You can’t do anything about it, can you?”

A valid point. Unlike a WordPress blog or even a Facebook page, profiles in Google Places (and many other business listings locations around the web) do not permit the business owner to remove negative comments. Most of the time, a concern like this isn’t because the business is in the habit of disappointing the majority of its customers — usually businesses are worried about more insidious scenarios such as competitors working to gain advantage by leaving false reviews.

I shared with this particular client what I share with all of our other clients and trainees: monitor your listings and respond. It’s unrealistic for any customer to expect that you’ve never disappointed anyone or that other customers of yours haven’t ever had a bad experience. Every business does it, even with the very best of intentions.

What is far worse than seeing negative comments on a business listing (or Facebook page, Twitter account, Foursquare Venue, etc.) is seeing unresponded-to negative comments.

When you don’t respond, future customers are left to reach their own conclusions without your input. Did you try to resolve the issue? Was it a real customer? Do you care?

If you don’t respond… they are right to assume the worst.

If you do respond, you have the opportunity to show what you’re made of, and what it means to your business when a customer has a bad experience.

Consider the person who was running a video camera when this FedEx employee tossed (yes… tossed) his new computer monitor:

It doesn’t get much worse than that. FedEx mishandled his package… and there was proof! (Even if this were a malicious smear campaign, would’ve been nearly impossible to fake.)

Many brands have famously had terrible mishaps right out in the open — and in the age of blogs, social media and YouTube, it can be hard for even the most determined businesses to cover up their mistakes. With this one… no way. There are nearly 3 million views on the video after only 2 days.

So how did FedEx handle the situation? By responding with a YouTube video of their own:

The company also published a blog post to match. Was the video highly rehearsed? Was it sanitized through a few layers of PR and other consultants? Probably so. Nevertheless, FedEx did was was critical to do: communicate their regret over their customer’s very real negative experience, talk about what happened and how it contradicts their intentions and policies, explain that the issue has been resolved to the customer’s satisfaction… and even hint about some consequences for the at-fault employee.

Nicely done.

Can you do the same? Hopefully, your business will never be proven to have done something this contradictory to your intentions. But even if it were to happen… you can respond. People respect someone who can admit their mistakes and talk about plans to avoid repeat occurrences. And your customers — both present and future — will too.

H/T: Mashable

Google knows what’s on your mind.

This year’s Zeitgeist from Google proves it. In just under 3 minutes, the search giant manages to hit the major highlights for the entire year in a very visually-compelling way.

Obviously, all the big stories are here: Haiti, the Gulf Oil Spill, even the current Wikileaks story makes an appearance. But the entertaining stories like Antoine Dodson, the double rainbow guy and even the South African vuvuzela add some sizzle and remind us of the things that made us laugh this year.

While hitting the highlights of the year, Google manages to showcase not just its search engine, but Google Earth, Google Docs, Gmail, Google Voice and Google Chat are also woven into the story.

A fantastic example of entertaining and useful content marketing.

We’ve already tackled the question about YouTube for Marketers recently, and I’ve been a big believer in it for a number of years. In fact, business owners and entrepreneurs in our 21st-Century Strategic Marketing Program have heard me beat the drum of not just YouTube, but also social media outlets (including Facebook and Twitter) since the program’s inception in early 2008.

Clients are now asking about social media more than ever before, particularly as we help them develop comprehensive marketing and communications strategies that they in turn get busy implementing. In my opinion, the number of businesses who should not be using social media is rapidly diminishing. If you own a small business, if you are a salesperson, or if you in any way are responsible (or rewarded) for bringing customers or revenue into the company you work for, then you need to have a social media strategy.

No one has said it better than the creator of this video:

For help developing your 21st Century Marketing Strategy, or to find out more about our low cost, high ROI training programs, contact us today. You’ll be glad you did.

Free Webinar: How To Dominate Your Marketplace Using Social Media

UPDATE: Join us for a free webinar Thursday, September 10th at 9PM Eastern.

Guerrilla Social Media Strategies for the Small Business and Sales Professional

Trying to make sense of Twitter? Befuddled by Facebook? Not sure where to start?

In this informative 90-minute webinar, David G. Johnson will be talking about how to decide which social networks make the most sense for your business, how to get started, and how to ensure that your precious time and resources aren’t wasted.

Whether you’re an experienced social networker or not even sure whether to stick your toe in the waters, you can’t afford to miss this valuable educational event!

In addition to lots of great instruction, there will be a Q&A session at the end which allow you to get your questions answered by the expert!

Space is limited.
Reserve your spot here.
David G. Johnson is the founder of Epiphany Marketing, LLC and has been helping businesspeople just like you establish highly profitable, cost-effective marketing strategies that leverage technology for the past 11 years.

One of the questions I am frequently asked by people exploring their online marketing options is:

Should I be using YouTube as a marketing tool?

The answer is 100% “Yes!”

In fact, we recently trained the members of our Strategic Marketing Program on this very topic:

Not yet receiving valuable training on marketing your business in the 21st Century? Here’s the Ultimate Small Business Growth Kit in a Box …Without the Box!