The Impact of Viral Marketing on Customer Expectations
When a business becomes viral on social media, such as a café with an unusual theme, it creates expectations among people. However, if these expectations are not met, the consequences can be both image-related and financial. This is because viral marketing often distorts reality, creating high expectations that businesses may struggle to fulfill, leading to customer dissatisfaction, according to David Dávila, partner director at ActionCoach Iberoamérica.
The Consequences of Unmet Expectations
Positive viral marketing is expected to boost sales and visibility, but businesses should not neglect quality, customer service, and pricing as these factors reinforce customer loyalty. If a business fails to meet demand or expectations, consumers may start leaving negative reviews, resulting in negative viral marketing. Marco Escalona, associate director of BrainKo, comments that consumers will express their experiences online after the reality, and businesses should view these reviews as opportunities for improvement.
Leveraging Viral Marketing as an Advantage
Viral marketing can arrive unexpectedly, and when it does, businesses must prepare to satisfy new customers without neglecting their value proposition. Businesses should be transparent about high demand potentially causing delays in service, which fosters empathy among customers. Escalona emphasizes that the manner in which services are delivered and tasks are executed is crucial, as poor customer experiences are rarely forgiven.
3 Tips to Avoid Negative Publicity
- Capacity for Attention: Businesses must consider their ability to serve customers, taking inventory, staff numbers, and the need for additional employees or suppliers into account to meet demand.
- Avoid Distorting Reality: While videos can highlight a business’s best features, avoid exaggeration or overpromising, as this sets unrealistic customer expectations that can lead to feelings of deception if not met.
- Embrace Feedback: Avoid deleting negative comments or posting fake reviews to improve reputation, as this can create a poor impression among consumers seeking genuine opinions.
Your value proposition lies in physical experiences, not virtual ones. You can do as you please on social media, but the true experience is in reality,” says Marco Escalona.
