Word of Mouth Marketing – Getting people to talk about you!

Essentially what word-of-mouth marketing does is build trust and credibility in your product, and it’s free!

In our world, today, we are inundated with commercials and ads that make a product look fabulous; however we are also aware of the fine print and possible scams that may be associated with those same products. We tend to distrust and err on the side of caution. BUT, if a co-worker or even a family member or friend began raving about that same product, our perspective is much different and we begin to trust and thus purchase that brand simply on recommendation.

Let’s talk about the ways we can generate word-of-mouth marketing, or buzz, about our particular product….

1.) Social Media
Social media such as Twitter, Facebook, blogs, message boards, etc is a great way to develop a buzz about your product. You can send out a glimpse of what you are offering and leave suspense to do your work. Maybe a big name in your industry is a follower and sends out a reTweet? Lots of ways to utilize Social Media to your advantage in this context. We have some clients that have been very successful with referrals, recommendations and their customers tagging them in requests for their services or products. Take a look at our Garden Elf Case Study.

2.) Referrals
Referrals is a wonderful way for existing customers to promote your product to friends and colleagues, especially if they are getting something in return. Say a free gift, such as a VIP webinar. This acts like an offline version of social media with people talking to their friends, family or neighbours and mentioning your organisation.

3.) Testimonials
Of course! Happy customers’ testimonials can go a long way. You can post these on your webpage, blog, etc. Great write-ups entice people to want to learn more and could possibly be the final push to purchase. Take Amazon for instance….you are researching Coffee Makers. Two are of interest to you. However, out of the two one has many positive testimonials from existing users. Which one do you think you will choose?

Information we hear from other people is much more believable than ads, brochures or even slogans. So use it to your advantage. Ask your best clients for a review, and offer a small token of appreciation as a nudge. Utilize Social Media. Post testimonials in highly visible places. Together with your existing marketing campaign you can’t go wrong!

Collecting testimonials is now easier than ever too with Facebook, LinkedIn, Google and other platforms all accepting reviews and testimonials of your organisation. These can then be used on your website and social media or even in case studies.

Now that we’ve established a great overview on word-of-mouth marketing, tell us…. will you be adopting this idea within your business? Already put it to work, how?