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5 Ways to Improve Word-of-Mouth Marketing

During the time that each of us can remember, we were counting on the recommendations of family and friends foreverything from cars to the most effective brand of toothpaste. Then technology came on the scene, how tointeract with each other has changed dramatically and became easy to update the human aspect of business andmarketing.

In our technology-driven world, people are more connected than ever widely. It is not enough to create messages– it delivers real human experiences to the masses. Smart marketers and business owners who can solve thissituation are those who use the most influential form of information to consumers are confident in their purchasingdecisions: marketing word-of-mouth.

If marketing seems simple word-of-mouth, do not be fooled – it is not. Creating messages that go viral is not easy.

While more than half of small business owners anticipate business growth in 2015, as a small business, 56percent say they spend less than 3 percent in marketing. When you invest, most of these business ownersprobably think of traditional forms of advertising or collect new customers instead of connecting with them.

How to turn consumers into advocates passionate about the brand through marketing word-of-mouth? Howpowered conversations that make people are wanted to talk and share their message with your network?Consider how campaigns designed word-of-mouth in connected with consumers on a human level and, in turn,

generate massive awareness and benefits to their brands.

1. Identify and orient their influence.

An influencer is someone who is active on social networks and blogs, and is ready to market your message andbrand. Marketing expert Jay Baer probably said it best when he said “the real influence leads to action, not justconsciousness.” The truth is that consumers today rely on more than a third of confidence in the brands. Gettingthe right message to the influential is a new form of marketing that, if done effectively, can lead to explosivebusiness growth.

Take, for example Dettol from Reckitt Benckiser, known as a disinfectant in the United States, which found thatthe antiseptic liquid was struggling to expand in China outside of big cities. Also, its TV ads are not trying to buildthe kind of brand awareness Reckitt Benckiser is necessary, not to mention the ads were extremely expensive.Reckitt Benckiser eventually became associated with the plan Advocacy WOM a word-of-mouth campaignfocused on the influential moms.

The company has distributed 48,000 samples of 4,000 mothers influencing factor each received a kit for it and 10more for friends. The campaign was a huge success, reaching 46 percent of the audience the brand target. In fivemonths, awareness has increased fivefold, purchase doubled from 21 percent to 42 percent and sales increasedby 86 percent in just two months.

2. Connect to human emotion.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation is well known for his dedication to grant wishes to children with life-threateningillnesses. Make a person aware of your brand is one thing – to stay in the conversation is different. To achieve thelatter, the non-profit organization created an attractive event for Scott Miles, a survivor of 5 years, cancer inremission; he wished he could be the superhero, Batkid for a day.

November 15, 2013, Make-A-Wish has created one of the largest and most elaborate ever staged, which includedPresident Barack Obama’s participation and other government officials and events for the application of the law.Even the main newspaper of the city, the San Francisco Chronicle was a matter “Gotham City Chronicle” underthe headline “Save Batkid City: Riddler NABS hooded hero, save a damsel in distress.”

Following its extraordinary campaign of word-of-mouth, Make-A-Wish has received 1.89 million socialimpressions, 555,697 hash tags #batkid, significant media coverage, including an article that generated Buzzfeed2 5 million visits in three days, more than 21.683 Instagram and Twitter pictures published by the end of the day,and of course, donations have increased.

3. Involve communities continuously.

People keep talking about because the Red Bull energy drink companies literally never stop holding festive eventsreceived by the people involved. Among the initiatives that maintain Red Bull as the industry market leader are:

A team of Red Bull wings that moves around Red Bull brand vehicles while having the pleasure to distributesamples and generate buzz.

A student brand manager sponsored students to trigger awareness events near your campus program.

Jam Red Bull bedroom home for Talent Show events that target students.

A journalist program Red Bull, which sponsors journalism and film students to create stories and rumors of themark.

Another example of a word-of-mouth campaign is effective when participating communities Vail Resorts hascreated an online application and mobile network connects skiers on the mountain. In 2010, Vail EpicMix launchedusing the integrated RFID technology in season passes and lift tickets allow drivers to learn where they went, theywent up, and how far they traveled, the runners and motivated to push as they share their stories andachievements challenged with friends and family.

After going live in December 2010, 100,000 people – or 15 percent – of all persons eligible to activated EpicMixaccounts and generate more than 35 million social impressions.

4. Give consumers something to talk with the superior customer service.

More than half of small business owners say they will drive growth this year, focusing on improving the experienceand loyalty of existing customers. These business owners have a good plan strategy. A 2015 report found that theprobability that you will sell to an existing customer is 60 percent to 70 percent, while the percentage is between 5and 20 percent for new customers.

Based on these figures, companies must focus on creating customer service to turn fans into customers whocannot stop talking about your brand. It is not about gifts and promotions, either, but how to communicate and dealwith people who keep their business afloat.

5. Make it easy for people to leave comments

One of the worst things you can do in a word-of-mouth campaign is making it difficult for consumers to leavereviews, recommendations, and communicate with each other about your brand. Simplify the method forcustomers to interact with brands, the same as how 3M ESPE, a manufacturer of dental products, made when hemade the review process so simple that the company increased the volume of feedback customers about itsproducts 200 percent in three days.

Word of mouth is the oldest form of advertising, and is essential to get your message out there in today’stechnological world, fast-paced. The difference is how to get people to worry when you give them the messageface to face? The on top of examples are wonderful go to case studies of successful marketing campaigns ofword-of-mouth.

When all else fails, consider what people are talking about. What is the news? What are the people living in socialnetworks? Consider coming up with a campaign for towing on conversations that are already happening, as wasdone when Starbucks announced their baristas are encouraged to talk about race with clients. If this was a goodor bad move for the giant coffee, generated media coverage and won the public conversation.

No matter how advanced we become on technology, it is important for brands to understand they are stillconnecting with humans. In other words, forget the followers and “likes” everyone is trying to win, but focus on adeeper understanding – think about what people want to talk and identify people who can help you get yourmessage.

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