Word Word of Mouth Marketing - What is it, how do you use it?

Word of mouth marketing or recommendation marketing is one of the strongest marketing tools. But at the same time, it is also the least measurable and the most difficult to control. In this article, you can find out how you can use this type of marketing for your business.

Definition: What is Word of Mouth Marketing?

The term ‘word-of-mouth’ marketing describes the phenomenon of word of mouth or, somewhat more pleasantly, the recommendation marketing. It describes how companies influence inter-customer communication. A short form of the term is ‘WoM’. So you want to actively influence the communication about your own company between consumers and potential customers. It is about your customers communicating positively and recommendable to potential future consumers.

Example: A community asks for a tax advisor. The members now respond. You recommend tax advisor M. Tax advisor M has now done everything correctly. His clients recommend him. This is exactly what WoM marketing is all about.

The relevance of word-of-mouth marketing

At a time when we are omnipresent with all kinds of false and correct advertising promises, it is important that we identify a trustworthy source. This should inform us about how the product is. And these are usually friends, acquaintances or people who have already had experience with the product. And we often believe these sources too.

Conclusion: WoM is one of the strongest and most successful marketing methods.

What are the requirements for a successful WoM

Honesty. Your product and the associated recommendation must fit together homogeneously. If your fans promise a Mercedes and potential customers to receive a duck, then the campaign will go wrong.

Conclusion: First, a self-contained circle of high-quality products or services from satisfied customers and suitable marketing measures. This creates positive word-of-mouth propaganda and therefore, good recommendations.

Differentiation from similar forms of marketing

Buzz and viral marketing partially describe very similar mechanisms of action and can interlock. Buzz marketing aims to stimulate “talk”, also known as “buzz”. Viral marketing describes a strategy that encourages consumers to share a marketing message with others, creating the potential for the message to grow exponentially.

And how do I start a WoM campaign?

There are two possibilities. You play face down or open. This means that you approach your community with messages, or you work undercover with supposed consumers (fake accounts) who stimulate your campaign.

And how can you measure success?

It is very difficult, indeed. Older publications from the offline period describe the recommendation rate as a key figure. This is determined based on specific questions for new customers. Online, it may be disturbing for consumers to take part in a survey immediately after acquisition. For example, as a hands-on method, you can count the number of mentions and recommendations.

Just do it

Give it a try. Find your community and identify your sympathizers and fans. Put them on for you. Put on a small loyalty program and slowly approach your WoM campaign. I wish you success.