Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the oldest and most effective forms of marketing. It’s free, relying on people talking to other people about your products or services. Here’s how it works!
The Benefits of Using Word-of-Mouth Marketing
Your customers are the best marketers for your business. Suppose they’re satisfied with your product or service and enjoy talking about it. In that case, people will hear their positive reviews and be curious enough to find out more information on their own — thereby creating a new lead for your business.
Word-of-mouth marketing is the most effective because, statistically, people are more likely to listen to someone they know or trust over an advertisement. It’s also effortless to track. You can track which reviews bring in the most traffic and make changes accordingly. Additionally, word-of-mouth marketing is extremely inexpensive (if not completely free).
What Can Word-of-Mouth Marketing Achieve?
Word-of-mouth marketing can be used to improve search engine rankings, increase traffic on your website, and get more customers. You can also use it to find potential affiliates for your product or service. Like any marketing strategy, word-of-mouth marketing is not a one-and-done situation. You have to be patient and consistent with your efforts while building trust and credibility with your customers.
The Best Ways to Use Word-of-Mouth Marketing
The best ways to use word-of-mouth marketing are the same as how to use any form of marketing. You have to be consistent, you need a system for following up with people who express interest in your products or services, and you have to take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves.
Here’s what you should do to use word-of-mouth marketing for your business.
1. Know Your Target Market
You first need to know who your target market is and where they are online. Are most of the people in your target market on Facebook? If so, focus all of your efforts there. You can use tools like Reddit to find like-minded individuals — but don’t waste too much time on Reddit because you won’t reach your target market unless they’re there, too.
Instead, spend a little more time on Instagram, attracting younger individuals. Sometimes, young people are harder to reach because they don’t have as much money to spend. However, Instagram would be the perfect place to market if you’re selling luxury items.
2. Provide Excellent Customer Service
You need to make sure that your customers are happy when they do business with you, and you also want them to talk about their positive experiences in a public forum. Suppose you manage a team of professional landscape designers, for example.
If you take the time to listen to your customers and address their concerns promptly, they will be much more likely to recommend your company to a friend. So, when you’re sending out surveys or following up with your customers, ask them if they would be interested in sharing their positive experiences on social media.
3. Talk About Your Customers
Your customers’ success stories should be shared as often as possible. Some companies even go so far as to send out press releases about how their customers could successfully market themselves using the company’s product or service. So, how can you get your customers to participate in this process?
It’s as easy as sharing a few of their stories alongside those from other successful businesses or individuals. Have a few of your best customers write testimonials that you can share over social media or on your website.
4. Offer Social Proof
Social proof, like reviews and testimonials, is essential for word-of-mouth marketing. You can use it when you need to introduce a new product or service, and social proof can also show how your company is doing. That’s why you need to be consistent with your efforts.
Your customers are more likely to try something if their friends already talk about it. So, if you’re having success with your social media campaign, highlight those successes. If not, use other forms of marketing to get the word out.
How to Measure the Success of Your Campaign
One way to measure the success of your word-of-mouth marketing campaign is to use social media to gauge engagement. You can use tools like Twitter’s analytics to see how many people are talking about your brand. You can also use tools like Facebook’s Page Insights to see how many people interact with your content.
Another way to measure the success of your word-of-mouth marketing campaign is to use surveys to gauge interest. When someone expresses interest in what you’re selling, ask them if they would be willing to share their experience with a friend. This will help you determine whether your target market is interested in what you’re selling.
Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the most potent forms of marketing that your business can use. Not only is it free, but it’s also incredibly effective in building trust and credibility for your brand. So, use these tips to harness the power of word-of-mouth marketing for your business!