No amount of advertising can buy great “word of mouth” advertising. And it’s more important than ever since people’s voices are amplified on review sites, their own social media platforms, and in subject matter groups, etc.
Not only do you want great word of mouth, you want current customers to stay with you. Always less expensive to keep one than to find a new one. And in an increasingly competitive cannabis landscape, companies need new ways to stand out.
But how?
Surprise and delight!
An actual marketing tactic that aims to attract and nurture consumer relations by providing unexpected rewards, it doesn’t have to be grand gestures like Chewy sending flowers if you have to cancel a recurring order because your pet has passed away. It can be packaging done with some extra attention to nice details for deliveries as shown in this example from Forge Hemp. It can be a surprise free addition to an order. It can be a brick and mortar offering free samples in-store by working with their suppliers. It can be an unexpected gift card that shows up on a customer’s birthday.
You can create enthusiastic ambassadors any number of ways if you focus on it. Then it becomes part of your corporate culture. Your team members will enjoy it because of the reactions it engenders. It can also give you some social capital in case there’s an instance where things don’t go right. And if that does happen, and you fix it in the right way, it can make a customer even more loyal than before.
And it works. Data from a study conducted by LoyaltyOne shows that 94% of customers who received a surprise gift or special recognition felt more positive about the company and 34% of them said the experience led them to give the company more business.
One tactic companies use to find opportunities is to use a tool to “listen” on social media so they know when people are talking about their brand and can react accordingly. When a gal online was upset that TSA had confiscated her Tabasco sauce – the company sent her hundreds of the minis with a handwritten note. Needless to say she posted about it and In just one week, the brand amassed more than 54,000 new TikTok followers, along with over 1.5 million organic views from their video. Here are some other great examples.
Not sure how to get started? Let’s set up a time to talk and brainstorm for some sustainable ideas that will build your brand loyalty, increase awareness, build employee morale, enhance customer retention and build sales!