Naturally she was thrilled. So she told her mom all about her great experience at the French Cellar in Los Gatos. Then she told her friends. Then she told everyone at work. Then she told the people at the Jaycees meeting…..you get the picture. What did it cost the French Cellar for this great word of mouth advertising? In return for giving away a bottle of wine they probably couldn’t sell anyways they turned her into an absolute brand evangelist. What’s going to happen the next time any of us are in Los Gatos? We’re probably going to stop by the French Cellar; and who knows, we might just buy a bottle or two this time.
So what can we learn from the French Cellar? This experience really resonated with me because it gave me a clear reminder of the importance of strong customer service.
Sometimes we get so caught up in staying on top of marketing trends and worrying about our brand’s penetration across the various conventional and digital marketing channels that we forget the fundamentals. Believe me, I’m just as guilty as anyone. When it all comes down to it, the most effective way to get followers, fans, and customers is by providing an excellent experience.
So let’s ask ourselves – what are we doing to thrill our customers today? What are we doing to get people to evangelize our brand? I’m not saying we need to give things away for free or abandon the great marketing tools available to us. Let’s just remember, there is no substitute for great customer service.