Why marketers can’t “use” word-of-mouth and why they shouldn’t want to.

Blake Bowyer
Media Program Analyst

Every so often you’ll come across a Web site or textbook that lists “word-of-mouth” as a tactic in the marketer’s arsenal. At first thought, it doesn’t seem crazy; word-of-mouth marketing is often an important consideration in spreading a company’s message, gaining customer referrals, and building goodwill. 

Word-of-mouth is at the essence of social media. Twitter, Facebook, and the blogosphere are basically hyper-efficient platforms for making word-of-mouth happen. Social media are the striking surface for the match and you’re more likely to start a fire by using them in concert (unless you’re able to get a spark from the sole of a shoe – but I wouldn’t count on that on a desert island). In short, social media have bestowed upon marketers a way to potentially facilitate buzz with the click of a mouse.

But …

Here’s the thing: word-of-mouth marketing is still the “effect” in this casual relationship. All word-of-mouth starts with a noteworthy product/service experience or a piece of wise or salacious information. Now, since it’s unlikely you’re working with the very latter, think about what makes your company, what it provides, or what it says worth telling others about. 

And that’s where the crux exists and we must make a crucial distinction. This means the value your company provides must extend past the person it serves directly. The value must be worth spreading. After all, the spreaders – or as Seth Godin calls them, “sneezers” – are putting their reputations as sages on the line to vouch for you or your company. Ask this: What companies do you trust enough to do that?

That being said, social media have made it both easier and harder for you to give the spreaders a message in the right format and clarity to share it with social networks. For example, a positive experience at Great Clips might not be so easy (or remotely interesting) to express on Facebook. However, if Great Clips set up a Twitter account for the freshly shorn to anonymously tweet about their experiences or take an in-salon satisfaction survey that publishes results in real-time, it would be more compelling. Now, to use that to the company’s advantage, Great Clips must satisfy its customers. Though, isn’t that the idea anyway?

Come back tomorrow for Part 2 to learn more about word-of-mouth and its love/hate relationship with social media. In the meantime, click HERE to see a success story with social media coming from an unexpected source: Priceline. One highlight – after customers secure a hotel, flight, or rental car via the "Name Your Own Price" option, they can brag about their bidding prowess on an automatically-generated deal tweet. Check it out: