You have this awesome product or service that customers swear solves their pain points and gets them real results.
The problem is that no one outside this immediate circle is talking about it or your brand online.
To resolve this, you need a fuel to spark the flame, so to speak—and one of the fuels you can leverage is word of mouth.
In this post, we’ll provide you with five word-of-mouth marketing tips that:
- Get your brand recognized online
- Turn your customers into brand advocates
- Increase your lead and sales generation activities
1. Share Your Best Customer Reviews
Customer reviews are the most organic and purest form of word of mouth because the feedback (good or bad) comes directly from your customers. Sharing their rave reviews on your website and social media accounts is the best social proof you’ll get, boosting your credibility with potential customers.
Because you’re just starting with your word-of-mouth marketing, it’s best to make it easier for your most satisfied customers to leave reviews. Here are two ways we can think of:
- Provide them a link to your Google, G2, Trustpilot, and other trusted review sites pages
- Create and share a link to a client feedback form
In both cases, you should ask the customer for permission before posting what they’ve written online.
2. Put a Spotlight on User-Generated Content
There might be a loyal customer who has posted photos, videos, blog posts, or social media content of themselves using your product or service. With their permission, you can post or share their content on your social media accounts, tagging them while you’re at it, allowing your brand to reach new markets and prospects.
You might ask: What if you can’t find user-generated content (UGC)?
This is an easy fix. Here’s what you can do to encourage them to create UGC and continue doing so:
- Offer incentives, like discounts, to customers who post such content
- Create a contest online and have them use your branded hashtags
3. Create a Referral Program
Okay, assuming you’ve gained a healthy number of customers or fans, you can take your word-of-mouth marketing to the next level with a referral program.
This program benefits you and your existing customers because:
- Your existing customers receive a reward or incentive (such as cash, a discount, or a freebie) for every successful referral.
- You gain new paying customers, increasing your sales.
Take our word for it. Our referral program has enabled us to continually acquire new business thanks to endorsements from our past and current clients.
Pro Tip
To maximize the referral program, make sure you align the rewards or incentives with:
- What the customers love so they’re enticed to participate in the program
- Your sales process so referrals are easy to manage, track, and convert
4. Connect with Influential Individuals
No, we’re not talking about celebrities here. We’re referring to thought leaders and influencers in your niche who are:
- Already using your product or service
- Fans of your brand
And here’s the biggest boost you’ll get out of this: When their followers see them using your product or service in their daily lives, it will likely spark a discussion within their community. This discussion, in turn, indirectly promotes your product or service to a new audience.
5. Build an Engaging Brand Community
Your business will thrive because of the community you foster with your customers-slash-fans. You have this two-way conversation with them that enables you to know what works and what doesn’t with the product or service—valuable insights that allow you to serve them better.
Additionally, you can host community-only events, like games, trivia, promotions, and collaborations, either online or in person, that deepen your interactions.
If you’re just starting out, we recommend that you host your brand community in these platforms:
- Discord
Enhance Customer Experience for a Positive Word-of-Mouth
A few words of praise from your customers can go a long way in contributing to your growth and success. In return, you must give them a customer experience that exceeds their expectations so they can continue advocating for your brand.
And you don’t have to do it alone.
We at Logix BPO have a team of customer service and digital marketing specialists who work together to keep your customers happy and support your business via word of mouth. Contact us today.
FAQs
Is word-of-mouth marketing effective?
Yes, because word-of-mouth marketing lets you:
- Gain customer trust organically
- Amplifies customer loyalty to your brand
- Increases the public’s awareness of your brand
How do you measure the success of your word-of-mouth marketing?
Whether your word-of-mouth marketing is successful or not can be measured through these KPIs:
- Net promoter score – how likely your customers will recommend your brand
- Social share of voice – how often your brand is mentioned in social conversations compared to competitors
- Referral rate – how many existing customers refer new business to you
- Conversion rate – how many referrals resulted in a sale
- Customer lifetime value – how many customers were referred to your brand
How should you treat negative reviews?
First of all, don’t panic. Second, engage the reviewer calmly and objectively. Let them know what they can try to resolve the issue they’re experiencing, and the next steps if it persists.
Doing so will show the reviewer and the people who’ll read this that you have them in mind —that you respect them.
Can personal outreach to customers help with your word-of-mouth marketing?
Absolutely! Directly engaging with your customers in their DMs or emails shows you’re proactive in fostering a good relationship with them. In turn, they’ll speak highly of the customer service and experience they’ve had with you to their family and friends.
