Word of mouth (WOM) is the passing of information from one person to another in a verbal exchange. Since the beginning of time, humans have relied on the “grapevine” for recommendations and information from one another for just about anything.

Think about it: How many decisions have you made this week based on a colleague’s or family member’s recommendation? Where shall we go on vacation? What is the best dentist in town? Why should I attend this conference? Who do you recommend I hire for the new position? Who should I buy my next car from? What diet is the best?

WOM marketing has become highly valued by marketers because this form of communication has a credible source. The person communicating the information does not have the ulterior motive that they are out to sell something. They are speaking with passion and experience to someone they have an established relationship with—definitely a competitive advantage over a direct mail piece or a cold call.

The research, studies and statistics are just beginning to demonstrate the power of this marketing strategy. According to the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (www.womma.org), two-thirds of all economic activity in the U.S. is influenced by shared opinions about a product, brand or service. But WOM as a marketing discipline is only just coming into its own, and the data indicates the best years are yet to come.

Recommendations

A WOMMA study revealed people who were most likely to pass along a recommendation were as follows:

• Friends (88 percent)
• Family members (87 percent)
• People who share the same interests (66 percent)
• Colleagues (61 percent)
• Neighbors (42 percent)
• Community group members (42 percent)
• Other consumers (35 percent)
• Fellow parents at kids’ activities (27 percent)

If marketers are now placing a very high strategic value on WOM, why haven’t the business world embraced this concept? Because many believe that there is nothing they can do about it. But, in fact, there is something you can do.

Strategy

WOM is a marketing strategy, not a marketing tactic, and should be part of an organization’s long-term strategy. Traditionally, brand marketing, direct marketing and customer relationship management were the three major strategies within an organization’s integrated marketing communications plan. Now WOM has been added, and has become the major driver within the plan. Why? Because an organization receives benefits that other forms of marketing cannot deliver. Some benefits include:

• Reaching your target market at the lowest possible cost
• Receiving real-time feedback from your customers
• Recruiting “brand evangelists” and influencers to market your brand, product or service
• Building a credible awareness and interest in your brand, product or service
• Creating a relationship between you and your customer

The objective of WOM is about generating a buzz. You want as many consumers, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances as possible talking about your brand, product or service. To create a buzz, you need the following:

Influencers

Target markets serving as evangelists and influencers: Evangelists are customers, employees or suppliers that have an emotional connection to your brand. These types of consumers voluntarily influence others to convert to the brand on a regular basis. When marketing to an evangelist or influencer, your marketing messages need to recognize them as experts and thank them for sharing their great ideas with others. These target markets usually use a combination of facts and emotion when spreading the word.

How do you find evangelists and influencers? Listen to both the positive and negative comments from your current target markets. A blog or an online forum allows them to communicate directly and immediately to your organization. The challenge: Are you willing to listen?

Delivery channels

WOM is traditionally a spoken communication through formal and informal networks. Formal networks include conventions, fundraisers or association meetings. Informal networks can include traveling, church functions or even at the grocery store. Now more than ever, technology offers a variety of different formats for an evangelist or influencer to impact one’s opinion. Formats include blogs, website discussion forums, newsgroups, bulletin boards, mobile phones, MP3 players, and e-mail listservs.

Today, every organization needs to consider having a WOM technology element within their integrated marketing plan. However, let us not miss the critical point here: How do your target markets prefer to be communicated with? How do they want to receive opinions from influencers? Not everyone embraces technology. And there are many who do not like face-to-face networking. Ask them how they prefer to receive WOM marketing messages.

Messages and content

Whatever the delivery channel your target market prefers, the WOM marketing messages and content must have two elements—factual information and the emotional element to assist the evangelist and influencer with their communication.

Simplicity

Remember playing the telephone game in a communication skills workshop? If the starter gives a complicated message to pass around the room, the message gets completely distorted. Simple messages and content are key to consumers passing along accurate information.

Measuring WOM

How does one measure WOM, or the “buzz?” There are suppliers like BuzzMetrics, Intelliseek and Viral Tracker that look at key metrics like analyzing the tone of what is being communicated and how evangelists and influencers are impacting the brand and sales. WOMMA will be launching a WOM discipline and standardization process this year for measuring a grapevine’s impact.

Who would have ever thought a communication system so old would become a top priority in business!

Michele Wierzgac, MSEd, speaker and author, promises that you will leave her solution-driven keynotes and workshops with at least one passionate, life transforming, leadership tool – something that will change the way you seek out a solution and practically apply it without getting stuck.

Email Michele at michele@micheleandco.com or give her a call at (708) 710-7055!