Word of mouth (WOM) is the most powerful way to promote you brand, product and service. It’s no longer for you to identify your brand image by your brand story or whatever your promotion ads. It’s all about how customers think of your brand, product and service.

Word of mouth is an action taken by a company that ends up motivating people to talk about their products, services, or brand spontaneously. It’s also an action taken by people who recommend your product and service since they are putting their credibility online.

WOM is an easy way to promote your brand no matter your are a startups or big brand. It is a free form of advertisement or promotion. It’s shared by customers who love your products or services.  As mentioned by Entrepreneur, It’s triggered by an event the customer experiences. This event is something beyond what’s expected.

Why is WOM so important?

You may have the experience that you’ve shared some negitive user experiences online. You don’t want other people to use the product, visit the shop or even a service in a specific restaurant. This kind of information may be spread on your social network. It finally causes people have a bad impression for what you sharing.

It’s all because trust. Consumers trust their friends. This is why word of mouth marketing is the most valuable source of marketing. WOM doesn’t stop after just one interaction. One person will tell another, and that person will someone else. Then that person will continue the chain and spread the word further…

Consumers are increasingly using online consumer reviews (OCRs) to learn about product quality. Consumers are primarily influenced by the quality of information and subsequently influenced by customer ratings and overall rankings. So providing a positive impression to customers can impact their final purchase decision making.

How to do word of mouth marketing?

1. Know yourself

Having in-depth knowledge about your brand and its mission statement can help you present your products and services in a way that your audience appreciates.

2. Research your competition

By properly analyzing your competitors, you’ll be able to determine what they’re doing right and what mistakes they’re making. This allows you to strengthen your own word-of-mouth marketing tactics. SWOT is a way for you to start the first step.

3. Define your audience

Defining your audience is always the most import step. To know who your customers are and make a specific WOM plan for them, so that you can target them easily and efficiently. Verizon’s Idea Exchange community provides an excellent example of how this tactic has been implemented. This platform was developed for Verizon customers to share their ideas and comment or vote on those ideas. Through this community, Verizon has received over 1,500 product ideas, 39 of which have been launched.

Buyer personas can be your tool to figure out your target audience.

4. Build an engaged social community

72% of marketers use social media to develop loyal fans. A tight-knit community on social media is a necessity for successful word of mouth marketing tactics. Once you’ve identified the right social media channel to reach out to your audience, start engaging with them. Conduct some research to help you understand how you can speak to them in a manner that feels natural to them. What kind of humor appeals to them? What type of language do they use?

5. Identify and engage with influencers

While Instagram influencer marketing is a well-known strategy, there are many other networks that are growing for influencers. According to Adweek, the industry is set to reach $10 billion in worth by 2020. Other networks like Snapchat, YouTube and TikTok have their own set of influencers with different demographics.

Advertising your brand through influencers is one of the best word-of-mouth marketing tactics. This technique works because you’re reaching out to your audience through people who already have an influence on their purchase decisions.

6. Keep in touch with audience and reward their loyalty

The more people connect with your brand, the more likely they are to recommend you to others. That’s great for your word of mouth marketing tactics. To build a strong connection with your audience, humanize your brand on social media. Let your customers know that they’re interacting with a brand that has personality.

Responding to mentions and comments is a great way to add a human touch in your social interaction. Whether it’s positive or negative, try to be responsive when followers engage with you.

One of the most effective word of mouth marketing tactics for turning customers into loyal brand advocates is by offering incentives. You could give customers special offers or exclusive content that would make them feel privileged and special. Capitalize on their loyalty by making them want to share their great experience with friends and family.