Can Twitter Destroy Your Marketing Magic?

One of the most powerful forms of marketing is viral or word-of-mouth marketing. What it means is simple. Make your business or some facet of your business is so extraordinary that people are amazed and more than happy with your product or service. In fact, they're so highly impressed that they tell other people about their experience.

This kind of personal recommendation is very powerful because instead of you telling people how awesome your stuff is, through traditional direct marketing methods, now, a third party is spreading the word for you. Since it's coming from someone else besides you, it has a lot more credibility. That's what makes testimonials so powerful.

But what about the flip side of the coin? What if you screw up and people start telling other people negative stuff about your company? It's been estimated that one person spreading bad karma toward you impacts the impression of 27 other people. That's not good.

Let's crank things up... Internet style.

Now, we have Twitter. People who have thousands of followers will tell all of those thousands of people that they've been unhappy, ripped off, or just plain insulted by your company's actions. Then, you're really hurting because bad word seems to spread faster than good.

The moral of the story?

Remember that customer service is the number one concern for every company, and that you need to cater to the wants and needs of your customers. Be sure to get support tickets answered quickly and efficiently. Give buyers the product that you advertised. Never make wild claims or promises. That will get you into more trouble than just with your customers. Now, you're talking the law.

Customers can be wrong, regardless of the old adage, "The customer is always right." For example, never extend your guarantee for a customer. If you promise 60 days, be sure it's 60 days for all customers, and deny the request. This is a legal issue, and so, you'd be in the wrong for refunding any customer past the deadline. The law won't permit it.

But when you can, try to make things right. Keeping your customers happy is a sure ticket to good word of mouth advertising, and when you can extend that to Twitter, it won't dampen the effect... it will amplify it!