Eight Ways to Generate Word-of-Mouth Advertising for Your Business
When people think about advertising their business, they tend to think of traditional forms of marketing. Television, print, billboards radio, heck, even social media come immediately to mind. However, one of the most cost-effective ways to get the word out is what everyone knows is the best form of advertising: word of mouth. When you get your information from sources you trust, it will increase the likelihood that you will follow their advice. So, that brings up the elusive question at the bottom of the pickle jar: how do you get people talking about your business?
Think about the time you found a trustworthy mechanic or a restaurant that blew your mind. I bet you were just itching to tell people about it. The key to get others to talk about your business is to create a customer experience that people can’t wait to tell others about. In the book Conversational Capital, the authors at Sid Lee in Montreal have come up with eight ways to get people talking and your accountant busy.
1. RITUAL: Create a repetitive experience that accentuates your brand, which customers can only equate to your business. Walmart is well known for its greeters at the front door. At some restaurants, you have to yell your order in order to receive it. What is unique about the experience at your business?
2. EXCLUSIVE PRODUCT OFFERING (EPO): This can be called over-delivery or even above-and–beyond customer service. EPO is where you personalize the customer experience to make them feel special. What can you do at your business to accomplish this?
3. MYTHS: This is a story that gets across the essence of your company. Many times, this is the story of why your business was created. There is the story about Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak building this thing called a computer in their garage. There are many stories about Richard Branson’s adventures that help create an image of his Virgin empire. Your business, too, has a story. How are you telling it?
4. RELEVANT SENSORY ODDITY (RSO): We have five senses. With RSO, you have the ability to tap into all five senses of your customers. When you walk into a business, you will notice music in the background. Many Las Vegas casinos pump in smells to make you feel like you are in a tropical location. What ways can you stimulate all five of your customers’ senses?
5. ICONS: While logos are icons, this goes well beyond logos. The Aerial Lift Bridge is an icon of Duluth. People can be icons. What visual elements and objects can you use to create a deeper meaning for your business?
6. TRIBALISM: This is where you create an experience that people can share to feel like they are part of a bigger unit. This is the reason many businesses have Facebook pages. It demonstrates that there are more people who equally care about your business. Kitchen supply retailers often hold cooking classes and wine tastings to get like-minded people to gather. What can you do to get your customers to band together?
7. ENDORSEMENT: This one is tricky. Endorsement is where you can get people of authority to vouch for your business. However, this has to be done unsolicited or it will not be believable. If your running enthusiast friend recommends a shoe, you are more likely to buy it. What are your business enthusiasts saying about you?
8. CONTINUITY: This is a big one. If a restaurant says they have the best steak in town and one day serves a pack of bad meat, its reputation is ruined. If you say something about your business, or if you are known for something, follow through. How are you making sure your quality is consistent?
All of these tips can be broken down to one statement. If you provide your product or service to the best of your ability with customer service that focuses on, well, the customer, that in itself will get people talking and your ears burning.
The hardest thing to do as a business is to obtain new customers. It requires a huge financial investment, a great marketing strategy, time and effort. So why would you pour a majority or all of your money into this at the expense of ignoring those who already know you – and more importantly, like you?
When developing marketing communications plans and materials there is always the crucial “approval” phase where the decision is made to proceed. One significant challenge at this point is managing the personal subjectivity that tends creep in. Time and time again, great communications concepts and ideas are tossed aside based on personal choices, at times undermining the potential impact of a tactic helping achieve a communications objective. Some of these may sound familiar:
