Building Your Ideal Audience in the Digital Age

The Dynasty Difference

Driving Successful Online Lead GenerationThe information contained in this document is commercially sensitive and considered confidential to the parties. Its contents, either in part or in whole, is not permitted to be disseminated or shared, in any form whatsoever, without the express written permission of Dynasty Digital Marketing Inc.Dynasty Digital Marketing Inc.Word-of-Mouth and the ImportanceOf Reputation MarketingCheck Us Outwww.dynastydm.comwww.facebook.com/dynastydmwww.google.com/+Dynastydmwww.twitter.com/dynastydmEmail: info@dynastydm.comTel: (416) 855-2069By Chris LeFrancoisToronto, Ont.

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The Dynasty DifferenceDriving Successful Online Lead Generation2We all know the power of word-of-mouth, and how it can make or break a business. Weve seen Monday morning chatter around the watercooler send mega-budget movies to a quick death after their opening weekend (I want that 2 hours of my life back), new computer applications quickly regarded as malevolent viruses (it took me 3 hours to install it), and new entrees taken off restaurant menus quicker than you can ingest a pizza with a hot-dog-stuffed crust (I cant believe I just ate thatI have to go lie down for a week now). This is not a new phenomenon, but in this age of instant communication, the impact of negative buzz is more immediate, widespread, and ultimately more damaging. The good news is that a positive buzz can be just as impactful and far-reaching. Rave reviews can, at least in theory, spread as rapidly as negative ones. If it was merely a matter of the number of good and bad reviews being a true reflection of the quality of a product or service, things would be much simpler. Superior businesses would inevitably generate better word-of-mouth, with positive feedback from the public outweighing criticism in a true reflection of value relative to the competition. However, this is not always the case, and there are two key factors at the root of this. Firstly, we live in a time of instant gratification, and have more options available to us as consumers than ever before. Take dining out as an example, and consider how many restaurant choices people living in cities have compared to several decades ago. This is not to say that our ancestors were not selective in where they chose to eat, but they had much more limited choices and with limited choices comes limited expectations. If your only options are mediocre restaurant 1 and slightly-better-than-mediocre restaurant 2, the latter attains a status by comparison that exceeds its actual quality. Secondly, we are more conditioned to publicly express our dissatisfaction than our satisfaction with something. For proof of this, have a quick look at the letters section of your favorite newspaper are readers more inclined to write in when they have a grievance, or when they have an urge to say something positive? If you read the dailies, then you already know the answer to this question.

With these challenges in mind, how can businesses ensure that positive word-of-mouth speaks more loudly than negative? Theres no doubt that businesses selling genuinely inferior products or offering very poor service may be facing insurmountable odds. But if your product or service deserves to have its praises more loudly sung, there are organizations that can help give you the kind of positive buzz that translates into increased business. Reputation Marketing is developing into an increasingly specialized and effective service, and some digital marketing companies have been successful in enhancing reputations and giving businesses a real competitive edge. There are a number of ways your companys reputation can be improved, and the most effective methods involve embracing the most proven forms of digital technology. Video is a known driver of increased interest theres a reason why Google and other successful search engines stress using video as a key component of S.E.O., and a sure-fire way of improving your ranking (ensuring that your business appears earlier when consumers enter relevant keywords on search engines). Having your best reviews tracked down and integrated into professionally-made testimonial videos can be very powerful. Simply placing them on your companys website alone, however, will have limited impact. Digital marketers with expertise in maximizing your exposure giving your videos strong presence on top-rated platforms such as YouTube, and third-party review sites (Google Reviews, Yelp!) can make a world of difference. If they have the ability to track down any past positive feedback, which is a bigger challenge than it might seem, they can also save you a lot of valuable time.The Dynasty DifferenceDriving Successful Online Lead Generation3

Creating a digital megaphone to broadcast the experiences of happy customers is crucial, but what about negative reviews and word-of-mouth? You cant make them disappear, but you can be proactive in addressing them and turning perceptions around. Digital marketers with experience crafting effective press releases can help minimize the effect of negative buzz, and if they have the means to syndicate your message on leading news sites such as Google News and Yahoo, you are well-positioned in a marketplace where perception can make or break a business. There are many other elements that can be used as part of a comprehensive Reputation Marketing strategy, such as geo-targeting consumers via testimonials that appear on mobile apps they commonly use, and whatever your business is, the breadth of the tools digital marketers can offer you will be a key determining factor in your campaigns success. The costs of such programs vary widely, so as always, having a clear sense of the value offered per marketing dollar is also crucial. Its one thing to sing your own praises, but getting your customers to do so that can make all the difference.

- C.L., August 2015The Dynasty DifferenceDriving Successful Online Lead Generation4

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