How to leverage Word-of-mouth marketing in the digital age?

In an increasingly competitive market in which business ideas or projects of innovative entrepreneurs arise every day, the use of online and offline marketing strategies is extremely necessary to make your business known and stand out in the market. And, in this digital age, social networks and conventional advertising media have allowed companies to develop very attractive campaigns to make themselves known while consumers have access to a wide range of options when buying.

But did you know that most consumers rely much more on the recommendations made by their family or friends? That’s right; a simple genuine and natural recommendation of a person can have an important influence on someone else’s purchase decision.

In fact, according to a report published by Nielsen called “Trust in Advertising” 83% of consumers say they rely entirely or partially on the recommendations of family or friends about products or services. It is here that what we know today as word of mouth marketing, a marketing technique in which consumers become advertising agents and help the information about the product to spread.

If you are thinking to start your own business or brand, word of mouth marketing can help you boost your sales during the first months of operation, especially if you do not have much budget to invest in digital marketing or other strategic marketing techniques. So, join us in this post to learn everything about word-of-mouth marketing!

What is word-of-mouth marketing?

Word of mouth marketing is an advertising technique that basically consists of generating a natural discussion about a product or a company. The main objective of this strategy is to make people talk about your business or brand and highlight the advantages of what you offer. This form of advertising can even give more sales than any other type of advertising because it has an echo effect.

For example, suppose you dedicate yourself to selling e-books on eating and healthy habits and you manage to make a sale with a specific client. This client begins to have good results through the content learned in your book and is encouraged to share his experience with his family and friends and after a couple of weeks, his friends begin to visit your Internet sites and even buy your products. Do you see how powerful these conversations can be!

Ways to leverage word-of-mouth marketing

Identify and Contact Influencer – What is an influencer in marketing? Although there are different types, an influencer is generally a very active person on social networks, who has a large number of subscribers and / or visitors to his blog. Today, using this type of intermediary is more beneficial for your notoriety: the audience of influencers is very receptive to their recommendations and relies on their opinions. When an influencer recommends a brand or a particular product, it has a lot of power as the recommendation is from a friend or family member. Therefore, digital word of mouth comes in part from influencer marketing – hence the value of finding suitable influencers for your business.

Create an active social network – According to a survey, 90% of people under the age of 40 use at least one social network. In addition, 62% of users of social networks use it to research brands or companies. Faced with these figures, now you can understand the importance of Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and the company in managing your e-reputation. To promote word of mouth, post content regularly on your business pages.

Encourage your community to interact and share your posts to increase their impact: ask them the questions, invite to debate, organize live chat, and publish polls to encourage online reviews.

Build loyalty with old customers – According to a study in 2019, you have a 60-70% chance of reselling a product to a former customer, compared to a 5-20% chance of selling it to a prospect. In addition, be aware that more than half of SMEs choose their marketing strategy on the feedback given by their customers. The idea then is to get their already won over customers to relate their experience and express their satisfaction as much as possible. By listening to your former customers and by constantly reactivating them (via communication channels such as the newsletter, social networks, phoning, etc.) and by continuously improving your offers, you promote digital recommendations.
Organize campaigns based on honesty – It may seem obvious, but you absolutely have to be honest with your customers. There is nothing worse than false advertising and false promises to pull your business down. Since trust is a long process, which once established can generate unprecedented gains; base your campaign on this value. Do not spend your time touting your services: focus on the objectives and problems of your customers and provide them with answers. Be useful, share your experiences and give concrete advice! Over time, you will become a reference in your field.

Conclusion

Now, word of mouth goes through digital channels. By perfectly mastering your image in the digital space, you will be able to gain reassurance and visibility reassuring for your prospects. And, ultimately, you will benefit your sales and increase in productivity.