According to McKinsey & Company word of mouth can create more than twice the sales of paid advertising, and with todays technology it can be tracked in order to assess it impact and its results. Due to the digitalization of our lives, word of mouth is no longer about neighbors sharing product tips with each other, it is about being able to connect on a human level with your customer through a glass screen… You need to be able to tap into social psychology through social media. Thats Word of Mouth Marketing.
Consumers are hard to please, we have become more and more cynical towards marketing and advertising and we expect bigger and better every time. As marketers have evolved campaigns with this in mind things have gotten a little crazy. Yes the bigger and better might be a great wow-factor for your business, but consumer like to talk about something that has somehow struck them emotionally, solved a problem for them or simply saved them time. This can definitely be achieved through your “bigger & better” campaign, but more often than not all it takes is great text on a page.
Connecting with consumers via social platforms is the easiest way to directly communicate your message to everyone out there. In an DIY market research survey conducted by AYTM we learned that 58% of Facebook users “liked” a brand in 2011 and from that 41% of users shared a story, link or video from that brands page. Sharing content online is extremely valuable, even more than verbal word of mouth. Through the sharing of content, facts and personal experiences, meaningful conversation is created. The key to successful word of mouth is to build a connection with your customer, whether it be psychologically, emotionally, functionally or personally.
No matter what industry a business is in, the product needs to be appealing, worth talking about; yes this also means good customer service, and will always involve CS to a degree, but giving the product life through words, charisma and flair, will make your business stand out and get people excited about it. Although you want to give your customers exactly what they need to get excited about your product this does not mean you’re free to BS your way to their hearts. The success of word of mouth relies on honesty, consumers can spot fluff quicker than you can imagine, and this will swiftly turn into a loss of credibility and negative word of mouth. Remember your brand is only as good as what people say about it.
“When you’re authentic, you’re interesting” -James Altucher, blogging entrepreneur.
Although you want to use logic to reach your audience, because it keeps them informed and gives them something intelligent to share, emotions move them, and this is what keeps people engaged and inspired. Word of mouth depends on a business’ ability to promote powerful and raw emotions people can grasp and relate to.
Word of mouth has always been there and it can truly make or break a brand. Using it as a marketing specialty that can be tracked, and planned makes word of mouth marketing a powerful technique that does not have to be expensive but it does require strategic thinking and work if you want it to be truly successful.
So when you write to your consumers write from the heart, write with passion and knowledge combined. Writing is no talent, its a skill, and writing for consumers in a swaying manner can even be categorized as an art. Conveying your business through words is The Pen Crews business, and we are here to help you Succeed through Social Media outlets with the basic yet powerful way/usage of words.
For more information on how online word of mouth can affect your business visit The Pen Crew’s website www.pencrew.com.
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