If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Simply put, it is word of mouth. Word of mouth is the most powerful form of advertising. It is the most honest form of marketing, building upon people’s innate desire to share their experiences with family, friends and co-workers.
Word of mouth for a brand is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do extraordinary things well. People notice that over time. While there are no shortcuts to generate word of mouth, you can use specific techniques to accelerate the process. Here are a few of them:
Look at the customer as a friend or a family member and not as part of some vague demographic group.
Develop entertaining and informative ads that can be easily forwarded.
Work actively with social networks.
Host discussions and message boards about your brand.
Identify people who are able to influence your target customers.
Inform these influencers about what your brand is all about and motivate them to spread the word.
Recruit new evangelists, teach them about the benefits of your brand and encourage them to create a buzz.
Set up online clubs for passionate users.
Track online conversations about your brand by both supporters and detractors.
Listen and respond to both positive and negative conversations.
Participate honestly on online blogs and discussions.
About the author
Sunil Shibad is Creative Director at The Flea, http://www.fleaglobal.com, a non-traditional communication agency. In his 15 years as a copywriter, he has worked on several blue-chip accounts. He constantly seeks ways to develop unconventional creative solutions for brands, across traditional media, new media and interactive forms of communication
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