A major problem that many small, local businesses have is that they don’t have a lot of knowledge and/or time to market themselves. What they rely on is positive word of mouth from their existing customers. This is how many small businesses operate. But getting word of mouth recommendations isn’t easy. And if a business doesn’t have great word of mouth, or a solid sales and marketing plan in place, the business will be dead in the water. Toronto-based KnexxLocal is looking to help local business build word of mouth with their newly released app, Instamonial. Instamonial allows local business owners to take photos of completed work using the app’s camera feature. Then the owner will send an email to their customer directly from the app with the attached photo, requesting feedback of their work. Once reviewed, the photo is posted to the business’s website and distributed via its social media channels along with the real-time customer review. Instamonial is geared for local, service-oriented businesses. Businesses like home improvement contractors, interior designers, landscape architects, caterers, wedding planners, and real estate agents (among others) would benefit greatly from Instamonial. Any industry can get creative with the app, but companies whose work can best be conveyed visually will benefit most from the Instamonial. I love this idea for small businesses. They are a sector that needs marketing help, but never has the time or the money to do much about it. Any tool that can help them is fantastic in my mind. But my biggest concern with this is for the potential customers who will use this app to vet potential hires. Instamonials are by invitation only. Business owners invite only their most loyal and enthusiastic customers. And when they do invite them, they ask if they would recommend their service to a friend. If they say yes, then the Instamonial is shared publicly. Essentially, there is a buffer in place to make sure all the reviews are positive. What if someone had a negative experience and wanted to warn others? It doesn’t seem like that opinion would be represented. If you’re small business owner, in need of word of mouth marketing, I would definitely take a look at Knexx Loca’sl Instamonial. It has the power to help spread the word about your services without draining all your time.
