There’re many, many strategies you can employ to market your products and services. But there’s one that’s quite effective that many people don’t use and if you harness its power, you’ll get more out of your marketing efforts and grow your business. Let’s take a look at how to use word-of-mouth marketing (WOMM) to get your message out.

Yes, word-of-mouth marketing. It’s really an underused strategy. It may be old school, but it’s the oldest method of advertising known to mankind and still works.

Why Word-of-Mouth Marketing Works

In its basic form, it’s free advertising. Think of a time you got your desired result after using a product or service, great experience, right? You’re so chuffed, you couldn’t help but sing your praises to anyone who would listen. But don’t only take my word. According to Nielsen report, a whopping…

92% of consumers believe suggestions from friends and family more than advertising.

The result is that other people hear about how amazing said product or service is from a happy customer – not an ad. This subset of social proof is a powerful way to build a company’s brand, grow customer base and make sales.

This is a powerful strategy, because people have gotten used to advertising hype. They’re savvier and know online marketing when they see it. As a result, we have to get creative and put a lot of extra effort to get seen.

Including word-of-mouth marketing then, is a strategy that you should add to your marketing plan. Getting honest recommendations goes a long way.

Marketing research further cites that people are much more likely to make purchase decisions based on what their friends say, rather than advertisements.

Organic vs. Accelerated Word-of-Mouth Marketing

As already noted, WOMM is nothing new. People have been spreading information about products and services for as long as language has existed. One person tells two friends, they each in turn tell two more, and on and on. It’s the pre-internet version of viral marketing.

This is also known as ‘organic’ WOMM. It’s organic because it happens naturally, with no action taken on your part. But you don’t have to rely on the hope that people will talk about you. Instead, make it happen by using ‘accelerated’ word-of-mouth marketing. This is when you launch a campaign and employ tactics specifically designed to encourage word of mouth.

The idea behind accelerated WOMM is to create a buzz that gets people talking. Businesses create products and content with shareability in mind. They leverage influencers and brand advocates to help spread the word and may even offer incentives, i.e., a referral fee, to their audience members for telling others. There are strategies you can use to get people talking. All it takes is some planning.

Word-of-Mouth Marketing Examples

There are many ways businesses are using WOMM to spread awareness. One example is to run a contest or challenge where customers make videos highlighting original, unusual, or funny uses of products. You choose the best ones and give them awards and share the submissions with your audience.

Here’s another, a coffee company creates content to bring its audience attention to how it ethically source beans and further, demonstrate that it supports local communities and causes. The company’s customers support the business not only for the coffee, but also for the core values they share. This strategy, too, gets people talking and telling others about the coffee that everyone should be drinking.

Yet another is gamification, where you share points, badges, bonuses, for example to engage and reward WOM contributors for spreading the word.

Best Practices for Harnessing the Power of Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Offer Expert Advice and Information. Create and share content that helps your audience solve problems. Offer this help with no strings attached. If your content is unique and offers value, people will tell others about it.

Offer Top Notch Products and Services. Offer top notch products and services, along with stellar customer service. If you provide the highest quality products and services, people will get results and will tell others.

Build Buzz. Take proactive steps to encourage people to talk. Make all your content shareable. Create events that will get talked about. Take advantage of current and upcoming trends.

Do One Thing Really Well. Don’t try to be all things to all people. Focus on one thing and do it really well. You’ll get to be known for that specialty. You’ll gain an edge over the competition and word will spread.

Wow People. Go above and beyond what people expect of you. Give them unexpected surprises that will make them say, “Wow!” These experiences are memorable and build buzz. The easiest way to wow people is to overdeliver on your promises.

Tell a Good Story. Tell stories that connect with your audience through the core values you share, this will build great relationships. People will buy from you because the resonate with your story, and they’ll spread the word.

Create an Experience. Don’t just create a product or service. Create an experience. Think about the journey your customer takes from initial contact to becoming a repeat purchaser and brand advocate. Make each step as engaging, helpful, personal, and enjoyable for your customer as possible. Seek ways to add value at every step along the way.

Stay in Touch with Your Audience. Good communication with your customers is the key to making WOMM work. You need to know what problems they face and why they should buy from you. Further, devise a plan to consistently gather both positive and negative feedback that you can take action on. Continually create better experiences.

So, identify some strategies you can use to get people talking about you, your products, and services. If you know your audience well, you can easily find some ways to get them to help you.

Select some of the ideas above and let your own creativity do the rest. Then implement and refine, and soon you’ll have customers telling others about you.

© Cherry-Ann Carew

Cherry-Ann Carew is an Online Business Coach, who supports emerging business owners simplify their start-up journey and helps existing businesses scale to the next level, so that they can earn uncapped income and live life on their terms.