Sell More on the Web

Getting bloggers, satisfied customers and others to tout your wares online will help your bottom line.

By Jim Ostroff, Associate Editor, The Kiplinger Letter

August 10, 2007

Looking to increase sales? Encourage "brand sirens" to sing your product's praises online in blogs, on social networking sites, your own Web site's comment section and other Internet locations. Favorable word-of-mouth advertising is a proven sales booster, of course, and the Web can spread the word to millions of potential customers.

OK, so what are brand sirens, and how do you get them to endorse your company's offerings online? They're satisfied customers who love your firm's products or services. Some will wax enthusiastic on the Internet and elsewhere without any prodding, happy to share their good fortune with buddies as well as strangers. Others may write you to express their happiness and would be happy to go public if you ask them to.

Up to 75% of U.S. consumers check to see what others are saying about products before buying big- and small-ticket goods and services. And about 80% of shoppers say that their most trusted source of information is word of mouth. A verbal or written thumbs-up, or -down, can make or break sales.

Digging into the blogosphere can help you reach influential bloggers directly, potentially paying big dividends. Online search engines can help you identify blogs that relate to your company's line of business, product or service. Use comScore, Nielsen//NetRatings and other tracking services to see which blogs draw the biggest crowd. It doesn't take a consulting firm to determine which bloggers are most influential.

"Set up a relationship with bloggers who are most influential in your product or service area and provide something for them to review," says Deborah Aho Williamson, a senior analyst with eMarketer, an online business consulting firm. Sure, there's a risk your product will be panned, she says, but the blogger would likely do this anyway. Engaging influential experts honestly can help diffuse negative vibes and more likely will boost a brand's image and sales. It can also give you an early opportunity to tweak the product while it's still in a prototype stage, improving its performance and subsequent sales.

Social networks are a good marketing tool. Among popular social networking sites that can go a long way to stir up major product buzz are MySpace, Facebook, LiveJournal and Buzznet. Besides piggybacking onto an existing network, building your own network is also an option that more businesses are considering. Social networking expert Rich Lyons of Lyons Consulting Group says that a company's own network can focus specifically on that company's business.

Product review sections on your own firm's Web site are a must-have. More and more consumers look to them for commentary on products and other news about your company. Join in the discussions to answer questions and offer comments. Your bottom line will feel the difference. After Petco set up its product review section, conversion of its Web site surfers to buyers jumped nearly 50%.

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