5 T’s of Word of Mouth Marketing

Word of Mouth Marketing or WOMM is an unpaid form of promotion where satisfied customers let other people know how much they like a business, product or service. To make this happen, the aim is to provide a space where all possible consumers and marketers can engage and talk about an specific product or service.

With an increase in the number of online users around websites, social media platforms and blogs, this task has become much easier. Studies have found that a consumer trusts 78% of recommendations given by other consumers and that over 87% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.

If you use these stats with a good service or product followed by a good online WOMM marketing strategy it could help your business to increase profits. You just need to fin the most effective digital platform for your product or service and monitor feedback or comments towards your brand.

Many consultants or WOMM specialist summarise a good strategy in 5 T’s and I agree that this is the most efficient way of doing it.

1) TALKERS

This is about finding people who will actually talk about you and your business. Like in every business you will have your loyal customers who continually support your services or products because they were genuinely helpful to them or because they simply love them!

Your task is to find these people who are advocates of your brand and who are willing to promote it and become opinion leaders for you. Some businesses choose to pay these talkers by contracting with them per blog or advert launched. This is not a recommended way of acquiring them though, since WOMM is not based on rewarding and it should be something ethical and personal, where in an ideal situation they would be happy recommend your brand without expecting anything in return.

2) TOPICS

You need to give people a reason to talk about you or your product. Is very easy, you want them to promote your brand, products or services, therefore you need to give them something that they can promote to the world!

This could range from special offers, products or even a unique experience or service that they haven’t experienced before. The trick is to be different and if possible unique so you become sort of like the go to person when someone wants to live that experience.

3) TOOLS

This is your strategy to help the message spread further and faster. And to do this you need to be able to provide your tools to your talkers. Anything from a website, a Facebook group, an email, leaflets, free samples or webinars could become your golden ticket to start attracting more people to your business.

4) TAKING PART

This is about engaging and communicating with the people who are doing marketing for you. And is also one of the most common mistakes when starting to do WOMM. People who talk about you want to communicate with you and feel that you are real and approachable. They also want to hear first hand about your services and perhaps guidelines and information.

By communicating with them you will also create a momentum and generate active members in all of your discussions where you could be there replying to any queries that potential customers might have.

5) TRACKING

This is the final stage where you track and measure the impact and what people are saying about you and your business, and possibly the most technical part out of the whole process.

But don’t forget, that even if it’s the last is not least since it is vital for you to measure and study the information you have collected so you understand what people think about your brand, products or services to adapt them to what your customers really want. Their feedback is important, after all, they are the ones who will purchase your products.