As marketers, it’s easy to get wrapped up in newfound marketing practices that promise innovative ways to generate a higher number of leads. Keeping up with the influx of new methods is as exciting as it is time-consuming, and marketers always want to be on the forefront of new trends.
It makes sense, as it’s their job to constantly be on the lookout for the fastest, most effective way to get results. But don’t let the hunt for the ‘newest and greatest’ deter you from the tried-and-true methods that you know deliver successful outcomes, like word-of-mouth marketing.
For as long as most people can remember, they’ve relied on recommendations from their family and friends to influence their purchasing habits. This includes everything from the best brand of toothpaste to buy to what car will give you the biggest bang for your buck. In fact, 92 percent of consumers trust word-of-mouth endorsements over any other kind of marketing.
In our digitized world, we are more interconnected than ever before, making word-of-mouth marketing even more important to your company’s marketing strategy. It may sound like a simple practice, but a lucrative word-of-mouth strategy is more complex than it seems.
How can you turn your audience into fervent advocates for your brand? Maximize your word-of-mouth marketing strategy with these tips:
Connect with the right influencers
It’s time for you to consider influencer marketing if it’s not already part of your comprehensive marketing strategy. Over 89 percent of companies report that the return on investment they get from this method is comparable or better than the other marketing channels they use. Consumers are much more likely to trust a third-party source about what products to buy than a company that’s promoting their own products online.
Research what social media platforms would better resonate with your customers — Instagram seems to drive the most results for the majority of brands — and search for active influencers on these sites whose followers more accurately represent your customer base.
Emotionally connect with consumers
It’s not difficult to make consumers aware of your brand, but getting them to engage with you is one thing. And getting them to recommend your products to others is a completely different story. Your customers want to see you as a living entity, not a robotic presence that’s desperately trying to profit off of them.
Be transparent, and don’t be afraid to get personal. Brands that connect with their audience on an emotional level tend to fare better than other businesses whose marketing strategies are centered around results, not human connection.
Make it easy for consumers to leave reviews
You may have created a remarkable word-of-mouth marketing strategy, but it means nothing unless people have a space to leave reviews about your business. It’s tempting to want to make this process more difficult because brands fear the negative reviews that could come as a result of one tiny mistake, but that’s why it’s important to have an incredible customer service team within your company.
You should encourage your customers to talk about their experiences with your company. You can even incentivize these reviews to showcase just how much you care about customer feedback. Before people purchase anything, they are likely consulting the review section of your website. The more positive reviews they see, the more likely they are to convert into a loyal customer.
No matter how advanced technology becomes, don’t forget about the classic practices that have been around forever. These are just as important to your success, if not more so, than the other creative marketing tactics your company is exploring.
