The PCG Digital Marketing created http://cash-for-clunkers.cashforclunkersfacts.com to lend a voice to consumers who want to share their experiences with the Cash for Clunkers bill to state legislators.  The website is designed to capture thoughts, stories and experiences that will be crucial to the government’s overall assessment of how well the bill’s goals were achieved. 

 The Cash for Clunkers postmortem review site allows consumers to share stories on many related topics:

• Consumers Who Had a Positive Cash for Clunkers Experence 
• Consumers Who Had a Negative Cash for Clunkers Experience
• Consumers Who Are Taking Legal Action 
• Consumer Messages to the NHTSA on CARS Program
• Consumer Messages to Congress on CARS Program 
• General Posts about CARS Program – SPEAK UP Forum

  Many consumers have already spoken out on the new forum.  One consumer added this comment,

 ”I tried to trade in a car that got 19 mpg for one that got 33 mpg. I didn’t qualify. Other people were buying cars and trucks that got 10 mpg less than the one I was going to buy. I was also told by car dealers I know that only upper middle class and wealthy people had the money to buy ‘new cars” as pre-owned cars with great mpg did not qualify. Another giveaway to the rich, as it didn’t help poor people or lower middle class folks who are hoping to have a job at the end of the year.”

 Other satisfied consumers chimed in on the site with rave reviews about the program.  One consumer wrote,

 ”My experience was a very positive one and I believe that was for two main reasons. First I understood all the requirements of the program and had all my documentation in order. Secondly the dealership,  in Appleton WI as well as sales consultant were also as thorough in their preparation for handling the paperwork. I was able to get a $4,500 credit for a van that was 19 years old and worth $500. Without the program I’d still be driving the same vehicle and not an Audi Q5.”

 Brian Pasch, CEO of the PCG Digital Marketing is encouraging all consumers to share their experience, positive or negative, on the Cash for Clunkers forums.  According to Pasch, “It is so important for Americans to send Congress feedback on the implementation of the program.  Consumers normally don’t have an opportunity to have their voice heard nationally and this website provides that venue.”

 Consumers who would like to share their story and hear what others have to say can visit http://cash-for-clunkers.cashforclunkersfacts.com/

I have already written about the most important consumer review websites that business owners should participate so the focus of this article is how to implement a proactive Internet Reputation Management (IRM) process.  

If you need the list of websites, visit this article on Internet Reputation Management.

Don’t Wait

If you wait until negative reviews show up for your business it will be more difficult to control the impact of a critical post. By creating a standard operating procedure for IRM you will ensure that positive reviews are being added on your business profiles each month.  When a negative post then hits, it will be in the minority of reviews and the single post’s power will be diminished. 

The biggest stumbling block for most businesses that can’t seem to implement a consistent Internet Reputation Management (IRM) system is time.  The time required to call, email and follow-up some customers is much longer than others.  That’s why setting up a system that can keep the process moving is so vital. Hard to reach customers have to be skipped over since you only need a small percentage of your customers to participate to effect change.

Creating an Internet Reputation Management System

We are now helping businesses setup a manageable IRM process that can be kept in house or outsourced.  The key is to prepare, in advance, a list of all the review sites you want to target and to create a script that someone can use to answer customer questions while on the phone. 

You must have a good FAQ sheet prepared so that when you call a customer and ask them to post a review, the caller is not taken off guard with their questions.  The FAQ sheet should include responses to:

• What should I write?
• How long should the review be?
• Should I give my full name?
• What if I had a mixed experience and can’t give you a five star review?
• Will I get compensated for my time?

Once a customer agrees on the phone to post a positive review, we recommend that you follow-up the call with an email explaining which sites you would like them to post. The email should include a direct link(s) to your business profile page.  Your email should also walk them through the review process on each site, calling out any special requirements that may be needed.

A well written email will make it easy for your customers and increase the number of posts that are actually made.   Don’t overwhelm them by asking them to post on too many sites. Listing one, two or three sites is all you need from any one customer.  By giving them a choice of sites to post, we have found it makes them feel more comfortable with the process.

Get a Commitment

When speaking with customers ask them to commit to a date that they will post their review.  Make sure you have a system to follow-up on these dates.  By asking them when they will be posting, it makes sending a reminder email very appropriate if they don’t post.

When implemented, a business owner can change the dynamics of web reviews in just a matter of weeks or months.  This of course depends on how many negative reviews exist for your business.  The key to remember is that Rome was not built overnight.   Take your time and let your IRM deliver steady reviews over the next year.

Take Your Time

Don’t rush too many reviews in any one month since dates are shown on review websites.  Never lie.  Never post reviews under anyone’s name other than yourself.  Never encourage your customers to lie.

If you create a process based IRM system, potential customers will see the great things you do on these popular reviews sites as well as Google Maps.  Positive reviews will generate more clicks to your website.   

The customers that we have implemented a process based IRM system have seen their pace of monthly positive reviews increase over 200%.  If you want to increase your online positive reviews, give us a call.

The PCG Digital Marketing, which services businesses from all areas of commerce, announces a new program to help car dealer survey existing clients and to request their participation in writing online reviews of their experiences at the car dealership.

The new service provide easy links for car dealer customers to write their own testimonials on popular websites like www.Dealerrater.com, www.Yelp.com, www.InsiderPages.com and www.CitySearch.com . 

The service is valuable to car dealers because their time is often limited and positive customer reviews can influence Internet car shoppers.  In the past, promoting online customer reviews has been a low priority for many car dealers.  Today, having only bad reviews can be a significant barrier for new customer sales.

By showing consumers how and where to post their comments, PCG Digital Marketing is reducing the time it would take for a consumer to share their comments.  In the end, both the consumer and the car dealer wins.  The consumer is guided through the process and the task is outsourced so that a steady stream of valid online comments is created.

If you would like more information on this service,  call our offices and request a free consultation on how the process works.