Word of mouth can come to life in two ways - organically or through a more targeted approach.
- Organic word-of-mouth happens naturally and spontaneously. Customers are happy with your offer or your services and enthusiastically share their experience with friends, family and acquaintances. They become your brand ambassadors.
- Targeted (or accelerated) word of mouth happens when companies launch campaigns specifically designed to encourage word of mouth.
With organic word-of-mouth, you have largely no control over what people say. Their effusive praise is a welcome surprise on the pages of your social media or in your Google Alerts. All you can do is great products make/sell, provide the best possible customer service, and then it's largely out of your hands.
But with targeted word-of-mouth, you have more control over the story. There are specific strategies you can use to not only get people to talk about you talk, but also to influence what they say.
The secret of word of mouth: Work backwards
It may sound strange, but to have a successful targeted word-of-mouth initiative, you have to work backwards.
- What do you want customers to say about you?
- What message do you want people to share?
Determine what is important to your target audience (e.g. price, quality, sustainability, community, etc.), and your primary marketing goals, and then create a word-of-mouth campaign that will trigger conversations around this very specific part of your business.
For example, if you are an independent food retailer looking to expand the range of local and/or organic products, you could set up a word-of-mouth initiative where customers share their experiences of how these products have improved their health and lifestyle. You could organise a special tasting event where customers can taste these new products and then receive a small gift or a discount if they post on social media about their experiences at the event. This encourages conversations and particles that draw attention to your unique offering and the quality of your products.
Get people talking
Now that you know what you want them to say, here are some tips for getting customers to talk about you and share others.
Imprint your main message
What sets you apart from other shops in your industry or niche? Identify your differentiator, reinforce it, 'imprint it' in people's minds, and then prompt them to share that information.
If applicable in your post-purchase emails, highlight what makes you special in your headers, subject line or tagline. People will remember this and refer to it when they review your product or write a comment on your social media pages.
For example, after a customer participates in a themed cooking workshop in your food shop, such as a session on healthy snacks or seasonal dishes, send an e-mail with highlights from the workshop. This e-mail may include photos of the dishes prepared, positive comments from other participants, and a recipe used during the workshop. You then ask participants to share their experience on social media with a specific hashtag, and offer them a discount or a small gift as a token of appreciation when they show their post at their next purchase in the shop. This not only promotes the sharing of their positive experiences, but also attracts the attention of potential new customers who may be interested in future workshops.
Integrate a visual trigger
Create an 'About Us' page, introduction video, meme, etc. that is so unique, memorable and eye-catching that people want to share it.
Stir people's emotions
Make people feel something. Generate conversations and shares around a topic close to your heart and related to your niche. You can even link your shop to a specific charity.
For example, if you are an independent food retailer with a focus on sustainability and locally produced products, donate a percentage of your revenue to a local environmental organisation working to improve farming practices and supporting local farmers. This is a worthy cause that closely matches your shop and highlights your commitment to the community and the environment.
Communicate this action clearly in your shop and through your online platforms, and invite customers to contribute to this cause by buying from you. This story is not only shareable, but also strengthens your customers' relationship with your shop, as they see that their purchases have a direct positive impact on their local area.
Create a referral programme
Encourage people to refer your products or services to others. If you give them something in return for a referral, they will move from 'satisfied customer' to brand ambassador.
Rewards could be a discount on their next purchase, a gift card for a certain number of referrals, or an additional gift with their next order.
There are many ways to boost word of mouth and drive the story. Get people talking and expand your customer base, generate sales and increase revenue.
Want to discover a powerful, cost-efficient and easy way to improve your marketing to the next level? Then check out my guide "Let your customers be your "Promote shop: Your guide to word of mouth" by filling in the form below. Improve your word-of-mouth and expand your customer base, generate sales and increase revenue!