UnMarketing: Stop Marketing. Start Engaging

Chapter 15. Don't Bank on the Bold

THE OLD SAYING is that the squeaky wheel gets the oil, and online it is no different. It is the angry bloggers, tweeters, and posters who shout the loudest that get the most attention. We give a lot of consideration to the people who are bold, who phone us, write to us, and protest, yet they are always a very small representation (1 percent) of our total marketplace. Most people will not say anything directly to you at all, and these are the ones you should be listening to. As you focus on calming the angry few, many more of your customers may be mildly dissatisfied or just tolerating your level of service or the quality of your product. They have not yet been pushed far enough for you to lose their business, but they are in a vulnerable state where your competitors can easily win them over. People are not confrontational by nature, they will speak only by taking their money elsewhere, and they won't even say goodbye, they will just go. Sites like Twitter and Facebook allow customers to vent about dissatisfaction in a casual environment, allowing you access to the less bold of your customers.

The same holds true on the other side of the spectrum. You may hear the occasional shout out or comment from a bold happy customer, which is always wonderful for any business to hear. However, the vast majority of your happy customers will go on using your product quietly. Social media allows these more moderate praises to reach your business regularly, along ...