We spend countless hours lamenting over the stock we print our business cards one, what printer to buy for our office or which brand of water to stock our fridges with. And yet, many of us jump for joy the minute someone calls our office with a job. Why is it that we don’t place the same amount of scrutiny on the engine that keeps our businesses running? Our clients.
Just this week, during one of my Event Solutions Idea Factory sessions, I referred to this as being your company’s Red Velvet Rope Policy, a term first used by Michael Port in Book Yourself Solid. Today, any one of your customers can tweet, facebook status update, blog, create a video or rate and review your company. In fact, just today I came across a blog post about how the New York Times allowed a disgruntled business owner to rant on their blog about some PR agents he recently hired for a restaurant launch. And in one vinegary post, he may have destroyed the reputation of a firm and an entire profession for some who read it.
More and more of us are turning to online reviews and recommendations to help form their decisions about who to work with and who to stay away from. Recommendations from people we know is the #1 most trusted form of advertising. Recommendations from people we’ve never met before is the #2 most trusted form of advertising. We trust what strangers say about a business far more than we trust what a business has to say about themselves.
Work with enough people who don’t get you, don’t understand what you do or don’t care and you’re creating your own detraction engine.
[on READY2SPARK] Choose your clients wisely (here’s why) – http://www.ready2spark.com/2011/03/choos… #eventprofs
RT @ready2spark [on READY2SPARK] Choose your clients wisely (here’s why) – http://www.ready2spark.com/2011/03/choos… #eventprofs
RT @ready2spark: [on READY2SPARK] Choose your clients wisely (here’s why) – http://www.ready2spark.com/2011/03/choos… #eventprofs
Great post! This is very true. One problem is that most people report things they are not happy with much more than they report good things. We should all try to give credit where credit is due.
So true, Dana. And a great takeaway for businesses. Sometimes we have to be proactive about collecting positive feedback (i.e. ask for it) and sometimes we have to remember how important it is to give it. Thanks for weighing in!
This is so true! We at Kaleidoscope (www.kldltd.com) pride ourselves on having the highest quality of clients and providing them with the highest quality of service! Contact us for any event management and conference planning needs you may have!
I really like Lara’s point. In this day in age, people are very judgmental and tend to stretch the truth a slight bit. I feel that the way technology has evolved over the years, is great for businesses but at the same time it definitely is not. The world web is a very resourceful tool, but it can be damaging to a business when awful comments are swimming through different websites about a particular business or company, whether they are true or not. We live in a world of hear say; therefore, a great number of people don’t look into or do research when they hear or read negative comments, we believe them. It’s human nature. Taking the time to research and understand a company or business’s faults I feel is something that my generation is trying to learn and adapt to.
Thank you so much for the comment @Starr_whitney! I think, no matter which generation you are a part of, we’re all learning to adapt.
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Lara McCulloch | Branding, Marketing + Social Media Strategist . International Speaker
t. 905 681 3332 | c. 289 937 0141 | skype. ready2spark | Connect: Blog . Twitter . LinkedIn . Facebook
Proud recipient of the 2008 CEIA Spirit of the Industry Award + ISES Toronto 2009 Dedication & 2007 Leadership Awards
I really like Lara’s point. In this day in age, people are very judgmental and tend to stretch the truth a slight bit. I feel that the way technology has evolved over the years, is great for businesses but at the same time it definitely is not. The world web is a very resourceful tool, but it can be damaging to a business when awful comments are swimming through different websites about a particular business or company, whether they are true or not. We live in a world of hear say; therefore, a great number of people don’t look into or do research when they hear or read negative comments, we believe them. It’s human nature. Taking the time to research and understand a company or business’s faults I feel is something that my generation is trying to learn and adapt to.
Great Article Lara!
Thanks, Luke!