Starting Positive Word of Mouth For... Goteborg (Sweden)!

Earlier this week I got the chance to be invited by the city of Goteborg in Sweden. When I say the chance, I really mean it at as the whole trip, welcome, people were great. For me it was the first time in Sweden and ... I am looking forward to getting back to Sweden and to Goteborg specifically...

A few words: the city is friendly, affordable, "human" (about 850,000 inhabitants...), people are friendly and professional a great combination that make it a great destination for your business and pleasure needs... I really mean it...So from a Word of Mouth standpoint, why am I generating positive words:

1. Quality and Uniqueness: I will not pass along positive words if my EXPERIENCE was not a great one: from the people, the atmospher, the welcome and...the SunShine!!! Yes over 25° celcis since June! Still a great balance of business and people.
2. People: what make great experiences in Service are People...and I must say People of the city of Gotenborg are great...I even had the chance to have diner with city Mayor Jörgen Linder (see below!)... by the way, I am not famous...not an athlet at all (the European Championship Athletics is currently taking place in Goteborg).
3. Experience: It is the key to all...and it was made possible by the whole people that I met and that love their city, they are passionated...and I know what passion can make things happen...when you are, the "passion virus" spreads...and WOM starts...

My only recommendations will be at that stage...provide people better abilities to spread the word ...all this I think relates in parts to follow ups, feedback, and "materials" and ideas that naturally spread the buzz...AND...Track and measure your performance over time...specifically online...as Goteborg has much to gain from word of mouth, since Stockholm still gets most mentions...even when the European Championship Athletics happen in... Goteborg...

So all in one...if you have misconceptions about Sweden, don't! Great country, great people, great cities... Goteborg to start with...who knows? Stockholm next year for me?

tags technorati : Goteborg Jörgen Linder Sweden european championship athletics WOM customer experience word of mouth buzz

Comments

[Sean Moffitt]

Laurent, great blog...and I see some complementary book purchases on both of our lists (see http://buzzcanuck.typepad.com/agentwildfire/2006/08/if_there_were_o.html)

Hope to network with you across the ocean in the future and ongrats on your work with WOMMA

[Meikah Delid]

Wow, good for you, you were able to mix work and leisure! I agree with your observation about people and how they figure prominently in great service experiences. It's a people-to-people transaction.