The Power of Word of Mouth: Why It Matters & How to Make It Happen

Word of mouth. What is it? What does it do? It’s pretty simple actually! Word of mouth is when customers actively talk about their thoughts, opinions, information, and recommendations about a product, service, or brand from one person to another. For example, when you buy a new mascara or golf club and you love it so much that you start to rave about it to your friends the next night at dinner, is word of mouth marketing. We do this so often in our daily lives without even realizing it and it is actually one of the best forms of marketing for companies! So, why is it one of the best forms you might ask? Well, people trust people. People feel more comfortable purchasing a product referred to them by a friend than they do from a random person in a commercial. This is because they already have a level of trust built within their friendship that does not exist with the person on their tv screen or instagram feed. Alongside this level of trust, word of mouth marketing is practically free! Yes, brands can invest in different ways to increase word of mouth marketing like partnerships, however, people are going to talk about what they like regardless which does not cost a dime!

So, how do we create a powerful word of mouth within our audience? Start by delivering memorable experiences. Whether you’re selling a product and have a good sales representative or a service that comes with an experience of its own, make it remarkable. Make people remember it with a good experience and want to talk about it. Next, use incentives and rewards programs. People like to feel a part of a community and when they know that their participation can ultimately benefit them, they will do more. One of the easiest ways to encourage this is through referral programs. Referral programs are where customers that are signed up to a brand or service can refer the product to their friends and get an incentive. This is a form of word of mouth that can also be tracked which is a quick and easy insight that companies can leverage too!

So now that we have covered the basics, let’s talk about digital word of mouth. Digital word of mouth is the same as the regular just online! Some examples would be social media posts (UGC), online reviews and ratings, influencer shoutouts, referral links, etc. Now you might be wondering why digital word of mouth is important. Well, digital marketing, social media, and technology in general is growing rapidly in today’s world and we have to stay up to date and utilize it, hence, digital word of mouth! 

In conclusion, brands should always take advantage of word of mouth and its benefits. With so many different forms, word of mouth is one of the most attainable, easy to use, and cost-effective forms of marketing so why wouldn’t you want to use it? While word of mouth can’t be forced, it can be created and encouraged. With all of this being said, word of mouth is not just about one “buzz-worthy” moment, it is about each and every little experience being noteworthy and shared. So, next time you sell or promote something ask yourself, “Are we creating something worthy of talking about?”