Due to the present-day marketing dynamic, most business owners may think digital, and print media is all there is to marketing and all there ever was. Let me stop you right there because if you thought like this, you walked right into a mistake.
Before digital marketing, there was print marketing, and even before that became de rigueur, word of mouth marketing was widely practiced. It’s not math. Word of mouth marketing is just as the name denotes – marketing done through the spoken word. And while you may think that’s obsolete, word of mouth marketing still has some perks that will give you the edge you need in your business.
Don’t know how or why? Don’t worry. That’s exactly why I’m here.
Customers Trust Word of Mouth Marketing
Tell me, who or what would you believe easier? A story narrated personally by a person or one you read off as part of an organization’s statement? You’d go for the former, right? I’d do the same too.
People tend to trust the words of an individual over corporate reports, statements, or narratives, and that’s because, on some level, they can connect directly with an individual than with an organization. Sometimes, with word-of-mouth marketing, you don’t have to say much before people buy into the product or service you’re selling; some of them already place you on the same level as themselves. So the thought of you walking a mile in their shoes is more plausible than that of a company.
As a business owner, you don’t have to cut up the cake. Customers who are satisfied with your product or service can do the talking for you. And believe me, no one markets a product more personally and convincingly than a satisfied customer.
It’s a Cheaper Marketing Method
Word of mouth marketing may not be obsolete, but it also can’t compete with digital and print media as the primary marketing medium. Do that, and you’re well on your way to failure. However, as I said earlier, it does have some perks that can give you an edge. And an edge never hurts in business, no matter how tiny it is.
One thing that makes word-of-mouth marketing an option is that it’s relatively cheaper than digital or print media. So if your marketing budget’s too tight, word-of-mouth marketing is a great way to relieve the strain on your spending.
Referrals Mean Loyalty
If you haven’t heard this term before, let it be one of the things you take from me. Prospective customers take referrals seriously. This is why you should be on your A-game from the onset. Customers will troop to your business for a product or service if they’ve heard great testimonies about it. And it doesn’t just stop there. You’ll become the go-to person whenever they need that product or service, and they’ll spread the word to as many people as they can.
You don’t need to connect the dots to understand this. Take it from me – this is one of those constants in business operation.
It’s Great for Building Your Brand
Getting your brand out there can be extremely difficult when you’re just starting. There are lots of larger businesses with impressive brands that already control a huge portion of the market. Even if you’re coming in with a unique product or service, there’s still the hurdle of making people see and understand your brand. Whether it is, word-of-mouth marketing can help you get positive reactions from customers you interact with. You don’t just tell them you have a product or service up for sale. You give them many other effective and informative resources like what your offer can do for them and things like that.
These resources are what these people will pass on to others, and that’s how you build a brand.
No Need for Telemarketing
Do you know how many people hate telemarketing? So here’s advice: if telemarketing was your idea, drop it. Word of mouth marketing is a more beneficial medium because, for once, you don’t have your customers feeling badgered or disturbed. You’re doing the marketing, but you’re not the face. Other people are doing it for you through direct interactions or social media. And these ‘other people are friends or family to the market you want to reach.
When has it ever hurt to hear about a product or service from a friend or relative? They’d even be doing you a favor.
All you’ve got to do here is have a referral program for your business. Once you do, it’s easier to encourage your customers to preach the gospel for as long and far as their voices can reach. You can even bump things up a little by adding a little incentive as a reward for their efforts.
With the way the business world is programmed currently, any marketing that isn’t digital isn’t marketing at all. But that’s not entirely true. So market your business digitally and in print, but don’t be too quick to toss word of mouth to the side. Trust me. It can do more for you than you can imagine. Besides, it’s cheaper and less laborious. So what do you have to lose?
