Synopses & Reviews
The small business guru behind Duct Tape Marketing shares his most valuable lesson: how to get your customers to do your best marketing for you.
The power of glitzy advertising and elaborate marketing campaigns is on the wane; word- of-mouth referrals are what drive business today. People trust the recommendation of a friend, family member, colleague, or even stranger with similar tastes over anything thrust at them by a faceless company.
Most business owners believe that whether customers refer them is entirely out of their hands. But science shows that people can't help recommending products and services to their friends-it's an instinct wired deep in the brain. And smart businesses can tap into that hardwired desire.
Marketing expert John Jantsch offers practical techniques for harnessing the power of referrals to ensure a steady flow of new customers. Keep those customers happy, and they will refer your business to even more customers. Some of Jantsch's strategies include:
-Talk with your customers, not at them. Thanks to social networking sites, companies of any size have the opportunity to engage with their customers on their home turf as never before-but the key is listening.
-The sales team is the most important part of your marketing team. Salespeople are the company's main link to customers, who are the main source of referrals. Getting them on board with your referral strategy is critical.
-Educate your customers. Referrals are only helpful if they're given to the right people. Educate your customers about whom they should be talking to.
The secret to generating referrals lies in understanding the "Customer Referral Cycle"-the way customers refer others to your company who, in turn, generate even more referrals. Businesses can ensure a healthy referral cycle by moving customers and prospects along the path of Know, Like, Trust, Try, Buy, Repeat, and Refer. If everyone in an organization keeps this sequence in mind, Jantsch argues, your business will generate referrals like a well-oiled machine.
This practical, smart, and original guide is essential reading for any company looking to grow without a fat marketing budget.
Review
“Tancer identifies the attributes—such as transparency and passion—that will win a company more and better reviews. He also advances an array of suggestions for improving and drawing on this treasure trove of data.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Worth a read—and a reread.”
—Booklist
"This well-researched and very timely book should be of interest to consumers, students of business, business owners, and all others affected by such evaluations. Highly recommended."
—Library Journal
“Terrific! Amazing! Fantastic! Reviews are everywhere and their commercial importance is growing. Bill Tancer masterfully unveils whats behind the ‘critic economy so businesses can benefit—and not be bludgeoned—by ubiquitous reviews. Bravo!”
—Kenneth Cukier, coauthor of Big Data
“With Everyones a Critic, Bill Tancer has hit the business book superfecta by writing one that is important, timely, useful, and fun to read. Whether you are a business owner, a marketer, or just an ordinary consumer like me, you will love his exploration of the online reviewing phenomenon that has transformed the competitive landscape—and that businesses ignore at their peril.”
—Bo Burlingham, author of Small Giants
“A great guidebook to the most influential and most misunderstood online marketing channel.”
—Martin Lindstrom, author of Buyology and Brandwashed
"If youre in business, its indisputable that reviews matter—a lot. Read this book NOW to understand how to tackle reviews—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Then leave your own review!”
—Dave Kerpen, author of Likeable Social Media
“The old adage of ‘The customer is always right is now ‘The customer is always reviewing—and business owners better be prepared. Fortunately, Bill Tancer has created an essential guide to the new world of online reviews. From dealing with bad reviews, even to the point of embracing them, to natural steps to ensure good reviews flow, this is a five-star must-read.”
—Danny Sullivan, founding editor, Marketing Land
Review
"A swift, appealing read and a thorough primer on the power of letting your products and customers speak for themselves."
-Publishers Weekly
"Frankly, I had no idea how John was going to top Duct Tape Marketing. The book is a classic. But with The Referral Engine, John puts you in the driver's seat and shows you the steps to achieving marketing success without a huge budget. Go no further. Buy this now."
-Chris Brogan, coauthor of Trust Agents
"I don't think there are many people who know more about small business marketing than John does, and I'm certain that there's no one more generous in sharing tips and insights. What, exactly, are you waiting for? This book will pay for itself in one day."
-Seth Godin, author of Linchpin
"For Zappos, part of delivering a great customer experience means developing personal and emotional connections, both with employees and customers. These are the types of connections people talk about with their friends and family. This book will show you how to give people something to talk about."
-Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos.com
"Who knew that there's a science to referrals? Not I-but now that I know, I want you to benefit from John's expertise. In a sense, a jacket blurb is the ultimate referral, and I'm here to blurb this book because it will help you succeed in business."
-Guy Kawasaki, cofounder of Alltop
Synopsis
How businesses can harness the power of online consumer reviews
More than seventy percent of consumers now consult online reviews before making purchases, and they take those picks and pans very seriously. A disgruntled but ignorant customer on Yelp might have more clout than any expert guidebook, magazine article, or newspaper critic. No wonder many businesses feel terrified by the review-driven marketplace.
But some savvy businesses have figured out how to navigateand even profit fromthe new world of ubiquitous customer reviews. Bill Tancer takes readers on a fascinating journey inside that world, revealing how sites like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and many others are changing the way we interact. Readers learn, for instance, why one Los Angeles barber decided to advertise his one-star Yelp reviews; what's behind the highest-rated locksmith service in New York City; and how one scrappy hotel figured out how to become the highest rated in London.
Tancer's fascinating stories and data-driven research show how online reviews can be a huge help to business owners, once they learn how to leverage them.
Synopsis
The Yelps and TripAdvisors of this world are here to stay. How can a business owner fight back? Eighty percent of consumers now consult online reviews before making a purchase. These days a disgruntled but ignorant customer on Yelp might have more clout than any expert guidebook, magazine article, or newspaper critic. Business owners feel they are at the mercy of these companies algorithms, with little to no recourse when unjustly bad reviews damage their bottom line.
But some savvy businesses have figured out how to fight back. The winners in this new marketplace are finding ways to use reviewsboth positive and negativeas their competitive advantage.
In Everyones a Critic, Bill Tancer draws on case studies, field research, and never-beforepublished data to create the definitive guide for the business owner. He offers valuable insight for anyone seeking to make the most of their online consumer reviews, including the little touches that have outsized impact on positive reviews; how to deal with bad reviews; and how to spot reviewers who are trying to take advantage of you. Consider:
- A Los Angeles barber who found a way to make one-star Yelp reviews part of his branding strategy
- How a New York City locksmith became the highest rated on Yelp and Angies List in just six months
- A Bay Area optician who analyzed his competitors online reviews to find his market niche
- How a small South African hotel chain has been able to capture the top 3 rankings for hotels in London on TripAdvisor, beating more than 1,000 others, through obsessive attention to online reviews.
Tancer shows how online reviews can be a huge help, not a burden, to business owners and managersonce they learn how to leverage them.
About the Author
Bill Tancer is a New York Times