Once Upon a Time

This is a story about the way the people buy products and services in the age of the internet.

In the not too distant past, we spoke to a person and asked for advice....a friend, colleague, family member or the shop keeper, hotelier, restaurateur (yes, this spelling is correct!).  For some good reasons, we trusted the advice we were given...they were family, they were friends, they were experts...

As consumers in the 21st century, we are doing this less and less and relying on the "advice" of the written word in the form of reviews, testimonials, blogs and comments.

There is no right or wrong from then to now...it's just a different way of gauging opinions and it has gained so much momentum that we are now able to leave a comment about most online products and services we shop for...and the statistics are staggering.  Here are a few articles to read (when you have time) that show the trends and the reasons why online reviews are crucial for reputation, consumer confidence and the decision to purchase...or not...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customer_review

https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Publication%20Files/12-016_a7e4a5a2-03f9-490d-b093-8f951238dba2.pdf

https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey/

If you are a Member of ANLP, then your Member profile is your online "shop window".  Hopefully, you will have filled it with a good photo of yourself and bright, colourful and engaging language that paints a clear picture of what you do.  Being a Member of ANLP gives you credibility with your client and emphasises that you are an ethical provider of NLP services.  The extra endorsement comes from your past and existing clients who can give you positive reviews.  This demonstrates to potential clients why they should choose you and what areas you have already had excellent results.

This is something that companies from Amazon to one-person-B&Bs have come to rely on to give their offering a third-party perspective.  

Studies have also shown that details are important to would-be-clients...which is why stories are important.  If your reviewer can give as much detail as possible (whilst being ecologically safe), then it will help others to understand how you might be able to help them too.  I read a recent Amazon review of a hairbrush...three stars and the comment: "It's a hairbrush, it does the job."  My immediate thought was, "So, why not five stars?  What job was the reviewer expecting it to do?".  Another review of the same product gave it five stars and commented "The handle is large in my hand and, as I am old, it means I can grip it properly.  The bristles are firm and rounded at the ends so it doesn't scratch my head like the last one used to.  This one is also easy to clean and the colour (pink) means I can see where I have put it down!  I would highly recommend this."

If the style of review were related to my services, I know which type I would prefer...and both have a place in serving separate readers.  The detailed one also alerts me to several features that may not be included in my original buying thought process...my convincer strategy...and I may consider this when writing my own professional services description on my ANLP profile.

ANLP encourage you to get real and honest reviews for your services from your clients and if they are willing, you can also submit their positive result as a case study to showcase the tangible, positive benefits of NLP..