Koroberi Blog

Buying something without a review feels a bit like buying blind.

Decision time: there’s a sale on a GPS at what seems like a decent price. There are bold, red letters letting me know that this item runs a “high sellout risk.” Do I pull the trigger? Not quite yet.

I need to hear the experience of others. I want to know first-hand if someone is pleased (or displeased) with their item. First I check the reviews on the site. Then I try the reviews on Amazon, followed by a quick Google search for other opinions. Finally, I check the warranty and return policy and, if comforted by my findings, make the purchase. If a $200 GPS warrants this amount of research, I can’t imagine the effort put into making purchases in the thousands or higher.

I’m not the only one that likes to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth. I was recently speaking to a client who commented that customers are always asking for first-hand examples of the company’s capabilities in specific target markets. This particular client’s sales staff, however, was hesitant to ask their customers for a short testimonial or participation in a case study.

This unwillingness to share customer information is understandable, though it can’t be the end of the discussion. The biggest hurdle is the ladder of buy-in. It’s our job as PR and marketing professionals to support the internal marketing team in communicating the importance of the satisfied customer voice. We need to get the sales staff and their supervisors on board and ensure that they understand the powerful influence that a testimonial can have. We’ve seen success through internal communications and reward programs that incentivize staff to push just a little harder to get customers to participate.

Case studies and testimonials are marketing gold. They allow a company to showcase a success story while controlling the content. A case study, unlike unmoderated, user-driven content, ensures a positive message that is peer-driven and promotes sales.

Not only is a case study handy in the sales room - it’s also a key part of a PR professional’s toolkit. It’s like an Ace up my sleeve – if an editor is hungry for content, a case study is almost always a welcome addition to any publication or web site. If customers are looking for case studies in the dealership, they’re most certainly looking for them in magazines or online. We can always squeeze a few more placements out of a case study, use the selected images or pull quotes for an upcoming editorial piece.

When looking to create a piece of collateral, it’s advantageous to produce something that has almost infinite uses. The case study, applicable in the salesroom, the boardroom and the newsroom, is that piece of the puzzle that reinforces the high level of quality, service and support that are the foundation of a brand.

How many times has a client balked at a project price or the deliverables associated with a project and wanted to negotiate? You presented good solid pricing that represented the scope of the job well, and they just didn’t accept it. Do you stand firm or lower the price to get the work? It is always a challenge when dealing with clients who always haggle. Sometimes you just shake your head and wonder if they act that way in real life situations.

I’ve been thinking about some of the downturns I’ve worked through in the ‘80s, ‘90s and earlier this decade. I’ve re-read articles published during those periods and found a common theme—this time of uncertainty is an Opportunity.

Advertising is an investment just like a machine that cuts production costs. Consider the lead time of sales in the B2B space. Few industrial products are purchased on impulse. Especially when every dollar spent is being scrutinized. Current advertising affects your future. At worst, advertising now facilitates a holding pattern. Advertising keeps your product in front of your customers; without advertising, a vacuum of information starts to develop.

Stopping your advertising has eroding effects. When advertising is cut out, the result is always diminished company and product awareness, fewer in-bound calls, fewer sales appointments for your reps to go to, fewer sales, decreasing share of market, less revenue, less profit and so on. Maintaining your share of sales and market now is much less costly than trying to rebuild them later. Once your momentum stops, you start over from scratch later.

Also remember, there’s always turnover at your customers and prospects. New specifiers might be starting today, next week or next month. Do they know anything about you yet? Advertising to these new influences is critical especially when they’re trying to maximize their impact and make their mark.

One of the most compelling considerations about advertising in a recession is the opportunity to steal sales and market share from a competitor who’s thrown the brakes on their own advertising. Think about the double whammy you can score: less competition in the marketplace of ideas from them means more impressions and more potential sales for you.

Jeff Asher is the Regional Sales Manager of New Equipment Digest, published by Penton Media, Inc.