5 BETTER ways to harness ‘Word of Mouth’
I have read so much recently about the value of ‘testimonials’ to your customer acquisition strategy — publishing them on your website, including them in your email marketing, sharing them on social media…
Utter bollocks!
Do you honestly think prospective customers give a shit about what your handpicked acolytes have to say? They can see right through it.
Now, don’t misunderstand me; word of mouth is still the most powerful form of marketing there is — both in its potential reach and its persuasiveness.
It’s just that testimonials are usually the contrived, hyperbolic ramblings of a select few.
So that’s why I’m now going to present you with five better ways to harness word of mouth that WILL get results:
1. Embrace Product/Service Reviews
Very different from testimonials, this is a process or system through which customers can provide honest feedback — positive or negative. How much more compelling is it to read a positive review that was in no way solicited? They didn’t have to leave that love letter — they did it because your product was that good.
If its negative, that’s okay too… you have to opportunity to learn, fix the problem and respond in a public way that gives future customers the comfort of knowing they will be heard.
2. Enable Social Sharing
Build a mechanism whereby customers can easily share their satisfaction with your product/service on their social media channels.
A recommendation from a friend or colleague is worth so much more to a potential customer than a testimonial from a faceless stranger that, let’s face it, could easily have been made up.
3. Go All-In With Influencer Marketing
I’ve written a lot about this recently (including here), so I won’t go on. Except to say this: there are influencers out there who have the power to convince a whole heap of people to try your product. Find them. Work with them.
4. Incentivise Referrals
“But — like begging for testimonials — isn’t this solicitation too ?”, I hear you cry. Well yes, but the difference here is that you’re not asking for praise, you’re merely rewarding customers for passing on your message. It’s about spreading the net as far and wide as possible.
AND the customer is still in charge of who within their network might be interested in your message or product.
5. Surprise Your Customers
Easily the best way to get positive word of mouth (and maybe even the holy grail of growth marketing…virality!) is to surprise your customers with a highly personal ‘random act of kindness’ — whether that be a level of customer service that far surpasses even the most unreasonable expectations or a simple gift on their birthday.
It need not be expensive nor flamboyant, just something sincere and with no strings attached. Such acts are so unexpected from brands that the recipient won’t be able to share their story quick enough.
But I could be wrong… right? Do you love testimonials? Do you have a better way to create or harness word of mouth? If you have, I want to hear about it. Here. Leave a comment. Cheers.
