Word of Mouth
It’s March and the golf courses should be open shortly as Balzac Billy predicted an early spring. Let’s hope Billy’s prediction holds true as I’m ready for another season of “Whack F–k”.
So on to this month’s topic: Word-of- Mouth (WoM) advertising. You’ve heard me say time and time again that the best form of advertising is when you get to chat one-on-one with a potential customer and ideally “sell without selling” your brand. It’s the most inexpensive advertising tactic but at the same time, it can be the costliest. Let me explain.
In its simplest definition, WoM is what you would describe, from the heart, about a brand experience to someone else. If my boss, Tanya, for example, mentioned that the service she received from a particular merchant sucked, or the product was not what was promised, I would most likely not engage with that business based on her experience. Chances are, Tanya (or myself as I believe everything she says… I mean everything) may tell one of her friends and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on. You get it. This obviously leads to poor customer WoM, negative reviews, no “stars” when it comes to ratings and at the end of the day, a silent cash register. Conversely, positive WoM leads to more “door knockers or tire kickers”, therefore, a wider audience, and most importantly, a cash register in need of a silencer.
As you recall (from last month’s article), I talked about how your personal brand defines your business. And vice versa. It’s a relationship that is a reflection on how your colleagues, friends and family perceive you. I bet you didn’t realise how important is it to not be a “dick”. Well, whether you’re meeting people face-to-face, on a Zoom, over the phone, or on the street, you are personifying your “brand”. You are being judged. And WoM spreads like wildfire.
As a creative marketing professional, my job is to produce engaging, strategically designed advertising creative that gets people thinking about your brand. To get your brand on peoples’ consideration list where it’s your job to deliver on that brand promise. From there, whether the promise is “lowest priced diamonds”, “quietest jackhammer”, “freshest tasting sauerkraut”, etc, it’s up to you to take the ball and deliver the brand touchdown. WoM is the oldest and most reliable form of advertising. Period.
But WoM doesn’t have to be taken literally. There’s no need to immediately hit the trail running. In today’s world, social media channels are at yourfingertips to start WoM conversations as it is convenient and can be inexpensive. It allows you to engage, a “million-fold”, with potential new customers if you’re willing to put in the time and effort. Sounds intriguing? WoM helps you grow personally and can give you that “Midas” touch if you’re true to yourself, especially in a social media world filled with blogs, videos, and influencers. But that’s a topic for next time.
Until next month, don’t be a “dick”.
Cheers, mark
