DARE - Because Entrepreneurs Do

The best form of marketing they say, is when your customers speak up on your behalf. Unfortunately, for most, customers tend to speak up only when they have a problem or a complaint to make.

On the other end of the spectrum is Apple. As I am writing this, the whole world is buzzing about the soon to be launched Apple tablet device. Apple has been able to generate so much of buzz by the simple process of keeping quiet about it, barring a well planted leak or two. Somewhere in between these two extremes are user groups.

Krishna Kumar

There are user groups actively created and mentored by companies and then there are user groups that are formed by users themselves. A user group is not just an extended marketing arm for a company, but also works as an excellent feedback mechanism as well as a committed beta testing ground for new products and services.

Amazingly, it does not take too much effort or expense to create a user group. Simple online tools like Yahoo Groups, Twitter and Facebook are excellent online platforms you can use to get started at virtually no cost. You could then extend it both online and offline through web conferences, invitations to product previews. How cool would it be for them to bring a friend along to show off their access to the company and you get one more person rooting for you in return?

All these are easy to do, but unfortunately, they remain easily said than done even while companies of all sizes and shapes bemoan that they do not have enough marketing budgets. Part of the problem is that while these things are easy to do and do not take direct investments, they require one investment that many do not think of making – manpower and time. The big fish can get over this problem by outsourcing the job to an agency, if they are interested. For the rest of us, since we have neither the money nor the manpower, we tend to ignore our best form of marketing anyway.

 

 

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