Use Big Events To Generate Word of Mouth

People like being appreciated. It’s a natural thing, having others acknowledge us for something we have done for them makes us feel good. We tell our friends all about it. Companies can use events to generate positive word of mouth by their customers.

An event celebrating company achievements can come off as self serving and may not generate word of mouth outside the company. However, events that celebrate customers is a much more effective way to spread word of mouth. Companies that use word of mouth marketing techniques find ways to recognize their best customers. These customers tend to be ardent advocates and evangelists for the company.

Customer appreciation events and celebrations help create a sense of community and belonging. They also foster the relationships you have with your customer.

Can Negative Word of Mouth Cost Me Money?

Yes it can. According to a 2005 study by Informative Inc., negative word of mouth has 2.4 times more financial impact than positive comments. In fact , the study found that when negative comments increased, operating profits decreased. Likewise, when negative comments decreased, operating profits increased. Moreover, the study found very little correlation between the amount of positive word of mouth and operating profits.

This is an important finding that small businesses should pay attention to. While positive word of mouth may not help us much as you’d like, negative word of mouth can be a killer. Negative word of mouth works like the game telephone. What the last person hears is very much different from what the first person said. Negative incidents relayed by consumers get embellished with each telling. So what may have started out as a five minute wait with a mildly disinterested customer service rep turns into a grueling five hour wait fueled by a cast of incompetent uncaring reps…you get the picture.

So what should a small business do? What I try to do is treat every customer like they are my only customer. And if somehow a customer finds something not to their liking, by all means, small business owner, don’t take it personal. If one customer is dissatisfied with something you do, then there may be others that feel the same way but just have not told you. Try and understand what the cause of the customer dissatisfaction is all about. Get them involved in solving the problem and acknowledge their role. By getting them involved they will see that you respect not just their money but their opinion as well.

Think B2C2 for Effective WOMM in Urban Markets

A key requirement of successful word of mouth marketing campaigns is to identify advocates and evangelists. These are the centers of influence, people who are connected, respected and never neglected. If you’re a company that wants to implement a word of mouth marketing campaign in urban markets, specifically among the African American community, think B²C² for influencers. Okay, so what is B²C²? I thought you’d never ask.

B²C² are Barber Shops, Beauty Salons, Churches and Clubs. These are the best places to begin because it’s where many influential African Americans congregate, contemplate and celebrate.

The Prostate Net’s Barbershop Initiative demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach when they reached out to barber shops to raise awareness about prostate cancer among African American men.

Sharp Talk with Al Sharpton on TV One features this renowned civil rights activist holding court discussing issues of the day in a barber shop. The show illustrates the very type of interaction and discussion that takes place on many a Saturday all over the country.

Clubs are where companies can reach young urban professionals. There are many types of clubs that cater to this segment, not all of which are social clubs. Included in this category are the various professional associations and fraternities where key influentials come together.

The Church has been and continues to be an important institution in African American culture. Church pastors are some of the most influential figures in the African American community and church functions are also venues where people share ideas, thoughts and advice on a range of topics.

If you are a business or organization seeking to increase your presence and brand awareness within the African American community and you’re looking to do accomplish it through word of mouth marketing then be sure to think: B²C²

Five Steps to Planning a WOM Campaign

Small business owners often operate under the mistaken assumption that word of mouth is out of their control and that what ever will happen will happen. However, while it is impossible to control word of mouth, it is very possible to influence what people say about a company product or service.

Providing a superior product and/or world class customer service is one way to influence consumer conversations and it is an absolute must for businesses considering a word of mouth marketing campaign. It seems simple, yet so many businesses, small medium and large, provide mediocre products and less than stellar customer service.

I am certain that readers of this blog are not among the mediocre product and service bunch. So if you have the basics in place, great products and service we can talk about creating a campaign to promote, sustain and foster positive word of mouth. There are five steps in planning and developing a word of mouth marketing campaign:
• Identify Your A&E’s
• Develop the Right Stuff
• Facilitate The Conversation
• Get In The Game
• Measure

For more information how to plan a word of mouth campaign, e-mail us at info@glmarketresearch.com for a copy of our latest white paper: Planning and Developing a Word of Mouth Campaign

How You Perceive Your Customers is Reflected in your WOM Campaign

A marketers customer view will dictate the word of mouth marketing approach they will use. Marketers that have a transactional view of customers tend to focus on building awareness versus building a relationship.

Far too many small businesses think of their interaction with customers as a transaction. In other words, we focus intently on making the sale, closing the deal. The deal becomes the focus. Just get that paper, the cash, the Benjamins. As a result,we do things that make it really difficult to establish a meaningful relationship.

In a transaction the focus is on completing the deal as quickly as possible so we can move on to the next prospect. We could care less how the customer feels once we’ve delivered the product or service and get paid. It’s “me” oriented and in some cases it’s very obvious to the customer.

Treat your customers like that on a consistent basis and the word on the street will be something like, “all XYZ company wants is your money, they really don’t care about you”

Now if on the other hand we view our interactions with customers as a relationship, our focus will have to be much different. In a good relationship, you can’t be focused on yourself. Instead you’ve got to take into consideration, what the other person’s needs and feelings are, especially if you’re trying to establish a long term relationship. It’s “we” focused, creating a win-win situation for both parties.

One of the best ways to generate positive word of mouth is your approach to customer relations. Focus on the “we” instead of the “me” and your customers will notice and tell others.

You Gotta Give To Get

My business mentor and coach Andrew Morrison tells me that sometimes in business “you gotta give to get”. Intuitively, I understood this to mean providing something of value to a colleague or prospect at no cost. This philosophy is consistent with the word of mouth tactic of giving people something to talk about.

I decided to put this philosophy into practice after I attended the Connecticut Minority Supplier Development Council (CMSDC) Annual Awards Banquet on Thursday May 1.

The CMSDC is the Connecticut affiliate of the National Minority Supplier Development Council. Their mission is to significantly increase the procurement opportunities between corporate members and certified minority owned businesses. Dr. Fred Mckinney, President of CMSDC has all of the characteristics of the type of Advocate we have cited often on this blog. He is passionate, credible and connected. So when Dr. Fred talks about a business, people in the right places tend to listen. Among some of the heavy hitters in attendance at this year’s Annual Awards Banquet, Connecticut’s Attorney General, Richard Blumenthal and State Treasurer Denise Nappier.

Our company, gL market Research is a full service marketing consulting firm specializing in market research, brand management, public relations and word of mouth marketing. It is no surprise therefore that word of mouth is an important part of our marketing plan. And so we are always looking for the right stuff for our Advocates and Evangelists (A&Es) to use in spreading positive word of mouth about our company.

So I’m sitting there at the CMSDC Annual Awards Banquet, which by the way was arguably one of the best business awards event I have ever attended. It was truly a high energy, high quality, high tech experience. But anyway, I’m sitting there surrounded by corporate purchasers from some of Connecticut’s largest companies including, Pitney Bowes, Northeast Utilities, Aetna, The Hartford and Liberty Bank to name just a few. Also in attendance were some of the most successful Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) in the State including, among others, RCI Telecom, Light Speed and commVerge Marketing. Light Speed and commVerge Marketing are Connecticut based marketing companies that have impressive track records of achievement and A-List clients.

I morphed into consultant mode, some time before the surf and turf entree but after the cocktail reception and advised my client….me…to provide the CMSDC something of value at no cost at all, in other words “give to get”.

And so we created a web based program evaluation tool to assess attendee perceptions of CMSDC programs and/or events, in this case the Annual Banquet. We offered the tool, analysis and reporting of the findings, essentially a market research project at no cost. By doing this we were able to provide a tangible example of our services and hopefully have opened the door to the beginning of a productive relationship.

Now I could have stood in line at the end of the Banquet and given the standard elevator speech about our company to Dr. Fred along with my business card. But then that would have made for a boring post and I wouldn’t have this to talk about. Instead, I decided to give to get.

Well to my pleasant surprise Dr Fred responded. He liked the idea and in fact, posted the link to the survey and cited gL Market Research in his weekly newsletter that following Monday. So by following the give to get philosophy we were able to get our name in front of hundreds of potential clients. The value of this promotion far exceeded the cost for providing the tool.

The takeaway for small businesses: Identify an Advocate and give them something to talk about to create positive word of mouth

Something New From Word of Mouth Guru

We’ve added a new section to the blog. FREE STUFF is now available. In addition to our posts you can now download white papers, presentations and interviews we’ve done on the subject of word of mouth. Check out our white paper “Tips for an Effective Word of Mouth Campaign” and listen to Word Up a one hour Blog Talk Radio discussion on word of mouth with the Urban Brand Architect, J. Richard Byrd.

If there is something specific you are looking for or trying to find out about Word of Mouth Marketing, let us know. Also give us feedback on the materials. Let us know what you like and even what you don’t like.

Enjoy!

Find Out About Cool Stuff via Word of “Mouse”

I found out about ooVoo from my good friend Kevin “Coach K” Caliup out in sunny California. Now Kevin and I have only communicated over the Internet, but over time we have become trusted advisers to one another. So it was with great anticipation that I downloaded this new software that I found out about through Word of “Mouse”.

ooVoo is a free software application that let’s you connect with people anywhere in the world through live video. Not only can you talk face to face with friends, families and colleagues, but you can also send video messages. And did I mention it’s free? You can have up to 6 people on at once and have a video free for all. All you need is a broad band connection, a computer, a web cam and a headset and you’re doin’ the ooVoo thing.

Now here’s a great way for a small business to gather 5 of its best customer advocates to share breaking news about the company or give them a first look at a brand new product. Anything to make them feel part of your inner circle and ensure that they are giving prospects the right messages about you.

Web 2.0 technologies are providing marketers with exciting new tools to cut through the clutter and create buzz. Small business marketers should give them careful consideration in planning and implementing a word of mouth marketing campaign.

Develop Your Story for Effective Word of Mouth Marketing

Every one loves a good story. We communicate through the use of stories that capture the imagination and provide information. A first step in developing a small business word of mouth campaign is to develop the story of the owner(s). What happened that made you decide to start your own business? What special set of circumstances led you to where you are? These are the type of things that enable small businesses to establish an emotional connection with their customers. It may cause your customers to feel a little bit closer to you.

Develop your story, include the elements that make you a compelling figure. Make sure that you talk about obstacles you’ve overcome or barriers you had to avoid to become the winner that you are.

Does Word of Mouth Work in the B2B Environment?

Word of mouth can and does work in the B2B space. In an interview with the Word of Mouth uber guru Andy Sernovitz,Dupont Corporation executive Gary Spangler indicates that B2B marketers are increasingly mirroring the behaviors of their B2C counterparts in terms of seeking out referrals, customer reviews and testimonials.

In his book Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking, Sernovitz cites Conference Calls Unlimited. If you don’t believe that word of mouth works in the B2B space, check out their website. Now here is a B2B firm that shifted all its advertising spending to customer service. This laser focus on providing their customers with a superior experience creates a loyal customer base that provide the referrals, reviews and testimonials that Spangler mentions.