Customers who speak highly of your business are generally happy to sing your praises to friends and family, helping you grow your business and reputation. Here are four ways to turn customers into brand ambassadors.

1. Deliver the best customer experience possible

It may sound obvious, but turning your customers into brand ambassadors is as simple as providing them with a great experience. Remember to:

• Provide high-quality service.
• Deliver consistent support.
• Listen to customer needs.
• Address complaints.
• Be authentic and honest in your exchanges.
• Ensure the customer experience is central to how your business operates.

Imagine a young couple looking for wedding rings at a jeweller. The jeweller should take time to meet with the couple personally to gain a deeper insight into what they want and the bride’s personal style. This will allow the jeweller to make better recommendations and hopefully find their perfect rings.

An amazing customer experience will turn this couple into brand ambassadors. They may post a review online, tell their engaged friends or even speak highly of their experience every time they share the story of their wedding rings.

2. Reward referrals

There’s no higher compliment than an existing customer referring a new one to you. It’s a gesture worthy of thanks, and one that can be acknowledged with a referrals reward program.

If you own a hairdressing salon, for example, offer a discount for existing customers who refer their friends and family. Both parties can receive a small discount off their next appointment.

Alternatively, a gym can offer current members a free week of membership, or perhaps a free personal training session for referring someone.

Whatever business you run, promote your referrals program via word-of-mouth, on your social media channels and e-newsletter.

3. Ask for feedback

Positive reviews are vital for strengthening your business’s reputation. Reviews can be obtained through competitions and promotions, or you can simply ask customers to provide one at the point of transaction.

A menswear store could ask for reviews at point-of-sale, and offer customers $10 off their next purchase for leaving a review on their Facebook business page. If customers provide their email, send a message after the transaction asking for feedback – be sure to include a direct link to your Facebook, TripAdvisor or other review page.

Whenever you receive a positive review, reach out to the customer. A personalised “Thank you for your feedback” is a cost-efficient way to engage with happy customers and ensure they’ll provide positive word-of-mouth referrals in the future.

Prospa tip: Don’t ignore or delete negative reviews. Instead, thank the customer for their feedback, apologise for any issues raised and clarify how you intend to rectify the situation. You may even like to offer some form of compensation, but always do this in a private conversation.

4. Ask for and share user-generated content

User-generated content (UGC) is where customers create and share digital content related to your business on social media. For example, a picture of your cafe’s brunch dish on Instagram is a great way to turn your customers into brand ambassadors.

Businesses can leverage this content by sharing it across their own social channels. In the example above, the café owner can thank the customer in the comments section, then repost it on their business’s Instagram page while crediting the customer. This generates conversations with customers and shows them you appreciate their patronage.

Every customer has the potential to become a brand ambassador for your business. So ensure you provide the best service possible, thank them for supporting your business and acknowledge any praise they share.