Introduction
BLACK + DECKER is a global manufacturing and marketing powerhouse; the world’s largest producer of power tools and accessories. Its products are marketed in more than 100 countries and hold leading market share positions in its industries.
BLACK + DECKER’s customer-centred marketing orientation has generated a reputation for quality, design, innovation and value.
The challenge
As market leaders, BLACK + DECKER understands how vital advocacy is in customer decision-making and consequently it is a central focus for the business.
BLACK + DECKER and feefo have been working together to take this to a new level. In just one year, BLACK + DECKER collected more than 7,000 product reviews and grew a pool of over 1,500 dedicated customers who are answering questions from other consumers about its products.
After the impressive early success of the partnership with Feefo, BLACK + DECKER was eager to do more. Ordinarily, customers have no access to reviews when a product is launched. Research has shown that 89% of consumers wait to read reviews first before buying a new product*. BLACK + DECKER knows how important it is to make maximum impact at product launch and chose to work with Feefo on the introduction of its new steam-mop range.
BLACK + DECKER was looking for a platform to create an interactive environment of engaged users who have genuine mutual trust in each other. By giving customers the opportunity to become advocates of the product by generating a web-based community of helpful BLACK + DECKER users to champion the steam-mop, it would be able to increase sales in the period immediately after launch. It was also important to establish the product’s place in the market and to increase consumer awareness of the entire range.
The solution
BLACK + DECKER initiated Feefo Launch, which fast-tracks review collection prior to the launch of a product and displays these reviews from day one. This fully-managed service recruits engaged reviewers by offering a product in return for honest, timely feedback. BLACK + DECKER was then able to enhance its multi-channel strategy for the large-scale marketing campaign for the steam-mop. Here’s how:
“The impartiality of Feefo content is extremely important to our marketing strategy. Providing customers a platform to exchange independent views and opinions on our products allows them to share their knowledge and experiences, help each other with buying decisions."
Mike Simpson
Marketing Director Europe, Australia and New Zealand, BLACK + DECKER
Rated by people like you:
In the UK, BLACK + DECKER embraced the reviews collected from a panel of advocates and created a ‘Rated by people like you’ campaign. This included not only user review scores and opinions, but also short video interviews showing the product in use with reviewers talking about their experiences from a variety of different perspectives and situations. This allowed shoppers extra insight and enabled them to engage with the product on a visual level relevant to their own domestic needs and expectations.
Ask an owner:
BLACK + DECKER took advantage of Feefo’s Ask an Owner feature which enables website users with specific queries to simply click and pose their questions to verified existing owners of the product. Not only do consumers appreciate a personal peer-to-peer interaction, but previous questions and answers remain visible on the website to give insight to future customers.
BLACK + DECKER found its advocates thoroughly supported the product and were keen to help people make the right choice. 100% of customers’ questions about the steam-mop were answered within 48 hours, with an impressive two answers per question, on average.
Traffic:
Feefo Launch also has considerable benefits in increasing organic website visits from day one. The instant publication of the steam-mop reviews increased Google search visibility through embedded content on every webpage. Furthermore, all visitors using keywords including the word ‘review’ have a 0% bounce rate when they land on the Black + Decker website.
The results
BLACK + DECKER has taken the success of its partnership with Feefo to new heights. It now uses the solution as the main focus for its European customer advocacy campaign and has rolled out Feefo across all its websites from the UK & Europe to Australia.
Furthermore, Feefo content is an increasing part of BLACK + DECKER PR activities and offline material. There are plans to expand the use of the Feefo solution into stores and beyond.
