Word of Mouth Marketing

The Best Marketing Tool You Have!!

Can you think of the last time you saw something and you just had to tell your friends about it? Do you remember having a great experience at a restaurant and later on tweeting about it? These could be products of word of mouth marketing (WOMM). It is an organic way of spreading information. It uses components of viral marketing. Unlike viral marketing, it spreads through more natural channels.

Long before social media or even the written word, word-of-mouth was our go-to for sharing and learning valuable information. Word of Mouth (WOMM) Marketing is one of the oldest, and still, most effective forms of marketing.

Essentially, word of mouth marketing can be summed up in a single word: Trust. People trust other people and the experiences they have to report, which means that when they hear from a friend or a consumer about a product or brand, they are more likely to buy.

Word-of-mouth marketing is important for every business, as each happy customer can steer dozens of new ones your way. And it’s one of the most credible forms of marketing because a person puts their reputation on the line every time, they make a recommendation and that person has nothing to gain but the appreciation of those who are listening. What a

re you doing to make sure your potential ambassadors feel confident enough in your business to recommend it? What are you doing to trigger word-of-mouth?

Today word or mouth marketing also includes consumer reviews online and it is important to the success of the business that consumers share their reviews.

Word-of-mouth is triggered when a customer experiences something far beyond what was expected. Slightly exceeding their expectations just won’t do it. You’ve got to go above and beyond the call of duty if you want your customers to talk about you.

86% of millennials say User-generated content (UGC) which are reviews is a good indicator of the quality of a brand or service.

It’s all about creating a buzz, no matter what type of business you are or product you have.

The more you interact with people the more likely your name will spread. Think of word of mouth marketing as a snowball effect. You start off with a small, interesting post on Facebook. That post impresses a couple people, then those people spread the word. Before you know it that one post is all over. It’s about creating mega brand recognition.

3E’s of WOMM

  • Engage
  • Equip
  • Empower

Engage—Give your fans the gift of you. Engage with them. Listen to what they are telling you. Be part of the conversation about your brand. Be a presence in your fans’ lives. This means responding to comments on social media.

Equip—Give them reasons to talk. It can be amazing products, great service, insider knowledge, social elevation, incredible stories, unbelievable facts or even funny disclosures. It’s on you. It really depends on you understanding your consumers and what they like about you and providing whatever it is they need from you. Another area to excel in and that’s on the rise is social customer service.

Empower—Give consumers different ways to talk and share. Let them know that they are important to you and that sharing their opinions is important to you. Help them find ways to share within their circles and find ways to help move their conversations around.

How do you get Users to Generate Content?

  1. Have a unique hashtag to identify content created by customers
  2. Incentivize creating and sharing pics, videos, and gifs on social media. Offer a free gift, discount, or feature.
  3. Create a sense of community. Showcase your user-generated content prominently on your website or main profile.
  4. Share customer testimonials/reviews.
    1. 79% of people trust testimonials and online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
  5. Create a referral program.

Social media is a great tool, do not forget that it is equally and if now more important to get involved with your community. Sponsor a chamber luncheon or other event. Volunteer, send employees to volunteer… get out in the community become visible and stay visible.

It’s all about creating a buzz, no matter what type of business you are or product you have.

 

By: Cheryl Viola, Executive Director