Customer success stories should be proof of success. The fact that you have satisfied needs and exceeded expectations makes you feel good. These stories were great in the Sales Process , Communications Vehicles and when Working with the Media . Here are a few other places to utilize them as well.
Industry Awards Entries
When you apply for awards you need to demonstrate your success. What better way than to detail a customer challenge and how your firm met it.
Non-Profit Fundraising
Non-profits require funding to provide their valuable services. That funding is only derived in a few ways. Foundation or government grants are really spiced up when they are personalized to how the funders dollars have been effectively put to work. The same approach works well with fundraising campaigns.
Annual Reports
We traditionally think that only larger, public corporations issue annual reports. Not true! Non-profits often create them to give to funders. Smaller firms can create them to use as marketing collateral to share with current or prospective clients. It is your document and your chance to show what makes you different.
For-Profit Fundraising
Share your successes when you pitch a Venture Capital Fund, Economic Development Fund or your bank. Your reason for funding is to continue to create more successes. Funders want to go and grow with a winner. Show you are a winner.
Voicemail
Usually, you are trying to reach someone when you call. But what if that was not your strategy? Call after hours solely to leave a message. What does your message say? Start with the basics, who you are and what your company does. Then, share a quick success story and indicate how you can do the same for them. The person getting the voicemail will either call you back or be more inclined to take your next call during business hours.
On-hold Messaging
Similar to the voicemail approach above, tell customers or prospective customers how successful you can make them. You compose a message that will appeal to most callers. Invite them to a special offer or to speak to a specific person about your success story.
Bonus Techniques
I have written 4 other posts on Customer Success Stories. Click below to read them.
- Leveraging Customer Success Stories in Communications Vehicles
- Using Customer Service Stories in the Sales Process
- Using Customer Success Stories with the Media
- 6 More Techniques to Repurpose Customer Success Stories
The Takeaway
Customer success stories are little treasures. Don’t bury them. Rather, share them with anyone and everyone who can help your organization.
Those are the ideas. Over to you. Please comment below:
- How else do you use customer success stories?
- Have you successfully used any of the above techniques?
- Will you value your success more in the future?
If you would like to contact me, you may do so by visiting my LinkedIn page, following me on Twitter, or e-mailing me at rcberman2 (at) yahoo (dot) com.
