Word of Mouth Marketing: People are Talking

Word of Mouth (WOM) Marketing campaigns are effective, economical, and essential. For good reason, the proper use of WOM campaigns produces measureable results making WOM a red hot topic. For some time now, we have been incorporating sensible WOM strategies into all of the marketing plans we prepare for our clients.
We encounter thousands of messages everyday and certain messages you can’t wait to share with others. And you do share the message, but you do more than just repeat it. You tell someone how to apply the message into their life or business – usually someone you know and sometimes people you barely know. It happens everyday and it is known as Word of Mouth Marketing (WOM).

When you encounter an especially good WOM tid-bit, post your finds so we can share them. There are several strategies to create a full-blown WOM marketing campaign. Here’s a post that provides links to WOM articles and resources:

WOM Articles and Research

Also, here’s an example of a WOM communication strategy used by a Vail resort that was particularly effective.

One of my friends has access to a high end resort condo located in the Vail Valley, Beaver Creek area. At a recent party, he asked if I’d like to join a few friends this year for a week of skiing. He said the condo is huge and they never have enough people to fill it. Sure, I love to ski so I’m in.

About a week or so later, I received an email with a 25 page document from the condo’s “concierge.” Everything you ever needed to know about the condo and surrounding area was included. “Wow, that was a great idea” for the facility to send out this document.

Instantly, I felt I was getting special treatment and all I really received was a simple document. I shared my experience with several friends. WOM in action – it works when you know how to set up communication strategies for every new prospect or client.

Several much shorter and concise follow-up communications were sent to me by the concierge. The messages included service features that were easy to digest, remember, and most importantly repeat to others. Following up with a new client or prospect with the right message, at the right time, is a key element of WOM campaigns.

Many marketers fall short here. They often fail to incorporate the “process” into their plans, or lack the resolve and resources to promote their campaign beyond the early development stages.

Posted in Marketing, WOM - Word of Mouth and tagged , .