Lessons From Word of Mouth Marketing: Chapters 6-9

Create Topics

The last chapters of this book reinstated the fact that you need to create a genuine conversation with real customers to build word of mouth promotion. However, some topics are better for such buzz-worthy conversation creation than others. Sernovitz notes that good topics are simple, organic, and portable, but amazing topics are unexpected. Sometimes this unexpected conversation starter is as simple as providing the best customer service possible. At other times it's a silly, outrageous ploy or insane give-aways that are so unexpected that the receiving customer can't help but talk about it. The element of surprise is what drives that spark to turn into a "guess what happened to me" moment.

Check out this video by TheFunTheory.com for a good example:

It Doesn't Hurt to Ask

Another lesson that is covered is something that I've learned in my personal life. It is a simple task, yet not everyone does it. I am talking about asking for what you need or want. I'll admit that it can be a daunting experience to ask for help, a raise, or a discount. But really, if you don't ask for it, you most likely won't get it. So when it comes to word of mouth marketing and spreading the word "sometimes all you need to do is ask." Don't be shy, just ask. It's a simple as putting a "tell a friend" link in an email or on a website. However, the more fun it is to share, the more likely it will spread.

ROI

Lastly, when it comes down to an action plan the management of negative word of mouth and the return on investment into social media and word of mouth activity are typically the biggest concerns. Numerous projects through my course of marketing studies at Seattle University have been heavy with pressure to find the most realistic and accurate assessment of the potential ROI of a social media strategy. Although it may seem like word of mouth is an unmeasurable marketing tactic, Sernovitz lays it out quite clearly:

1. "If you know the average lifetime value of your customers and you can estimate the number of customers you acquire through word of mouth, you can place a dollar value on your word of mouth marketing efforts."
2. "Measure the value of sales generated by your direct mail and email forwarders, and you get a word of mouth value for each of them."
3. "Every time someone uses a tell-a-friend form, you get a lead without paying for it. Credit it the same dollar value you would have spent to get a lead from any online ad."
4. "Find a way to follow which customer service moments are likely to generate word of mouth referral... Multiply these referrals by your average cost of acquiring a new customer. That's your formula for the value of great customer service."

Negativity

Finally, when it comes down to managing negative word of mouth, Sernovitz puts it best, "It's more important to be responsive than right." Engage with customers in a real way and the response will be positive.