CALL US We’ve talked before about the idea of a Twitter superfan or superuser, but this often-neglected group of users can help your business on multiple levels beyond just the one social media outlet.
What They Are
These are people who love what you do and who you are; they live and breathe your product and can’t get enough of it. No doubt you already have one or two of these people in your customer base, and they are one of your strongest assets—you need more of them.
Seth Godin calls these people “sneezers,” and we mentioned them a while back in a previous blog post on social media marketing. These are usually early adopters of your product of your service, and once you have won them over they will tell everyone about you. These are some of your most cost-effective and best marketers because they love what you do and cost you nothing other than making sure they stay happy.
So how do we get more sneezers? How do we encourage more people to want to talk about your business? Answer: Give them the farm.
How to Leverage That Enthusiasm
These super users are going to ask a lot of questions about your product. They are going to investigate and learn. When their investigation turns up positive outcomes, they are going to purchase your product and no doubt tell you how happy they are. When this happens, make it worth their while to tell people. Give them a discount if they bring a friend, tell them openly about how you want to find more people like them and would appreciate any reviews they could contribute or referrals they can make to bring in friends who might like your service. Deputize them as unofficial spokespeople for your product, and in a positive and fun way get them to do your marketing work for you.
Two examples:
Incentive-Based
Customer: “I have to tell you, I absolutely LOVE your product. At first I wasn’t sure but thought I’d give it a try and WOW!”
You: “Thank you so much. I am really glad you like it. Listen, we are trying to get the word out about our product and we really think people like you can help. If you know other people who might also like this and bring them in, we’ll give you and your friend 20% off your next purchase.”
Customer: “Wow that’s a great deal. I will think about who I can encourage to come in.”
Status-Based
Customer: “I have to tell you, I absolutely LOVE your product. At first I wasn’t sure, but thought I’d give it a try and WOW!”
You: “Thank you so much. I am really glad you like it. Listen, would you like to be our unofficial poster child for this product? We love using real story scenarios on how our product works, and I’d like to include you in how we market it.”
Customer: “Sounds interesting. What would I have to do?”
You: “Simple, just use our product and tell people how much you love it. We’d also like to do a customer story about you on our web site. We will interview you and let you review and approve the content before we post it live…so, what do you think?”
Customer: “Sounds great. Using and talking about your product is easy for me because I love it. I’d be more than happy to help.”
Cautionary Note
Keep in mind that if a sneezer isn’t treated well, their engagement could also backfire and “sneeze” out a negative message about you, pushing your reputation in the opposite direction from where you want it. Make sure you are constantly showing appreciation for what they are doing for you, because if you take them for granted, they won’t be your biggest fan forever.
