WOM OR CHATTER

We are constantly being asked for marketing techniques that are low cost or no cost.  Arguably, the most effective method of marketing is referral or recommendation.  Nowadays an extension of this is ‘chatter’.  Here are a couple of snippets taken from the Marketer magazine, the magazine of the CIM.

Clog-makers Crocs caused a great deal of negative buzz as well as positive from Ihatecrocs.com and in Maxim magazine stating ‘they were the 6th worst thing to happen to men’s fashion in 2007’. This shows how word of mouth can come back to bite you and people may either love your product or hate it – but it’s always good to be a hot topic of conversation.  Web 2 technology means setting up a dialogue with customers rather than pushing information at them, so you need to be on your toes!!

BBC2’s trusted Horizon programme endorsed Boot’s No7 Protect and Perfect face cream which created hysteria amongst customers and physical fights broke out in store – ‘sales soared by 2,000 per cent’.  Targeting the right customers, at the right time and the right place or through the right medium can be extremely successful and send sales through the roof.  Bit of planning required to get the programme set up but no huge cost.

As we all know J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter is a global bestseller and this occurred through personal recommendation. This is a real attribute to the influence of word of mouth and shows how no cost methods of communication can often be the most powerful.  Interesting that Harry Potter came out before the advent of Twitter and some of the other social networks!!

Volkswagen sold $9m of its new Passat models after they offered a free two-day test drive for members of its Alpha Driver’s Club, these members then bragged about how wonderful and amazing the new model was. The only cost here for Volkswagen was the free two day test but the rewards they will have received through this offer will far outweigh any cost incurred.

According to a study by MediaLab people trust recommendations from friends and family (71 %) even more than there own past experience (63%) and certainly more than any advertising (15%).

For many companies perhaps smaller and in the business to business sector, encouraging word of mouth should be easy.  By telephone, with service engineers, with sales people etc.

Think about it

For more information call Russell Ferguson on 0141 226 2400