How to create good word of mouth marketing for your small business?

Despite the rise of social media, many recommendations still happen offline, with people sharing their experiences with friends over the phone or face-to-face. On the surface, word-of-mouth marketing may seem more geared towards large companies, but this isn’t entirely accurate. “Small businesses have a huge advantage over large companies in word-of-mouth marketing because the distance between company owner and customers is much closer,” says Brad Fay, chief operating officer of Keller Fay Group, an award-winning word-of-mouth research and consulting company, and chairman of the board of the Word of Mouth Marketing Association. “There’s an opportunity for customers to have a relationship with management, and so it’s easier to customize offers, to give personal attention, and these are things that tend to raise the level of satisfaction that the customers have and their willingness to advocate [on behalf of the businesses],” he adds. For example, Fay points out that, typically, local banks have stronger customer satisfaction scores than big banks. “The reason is that the smaller banks are closer to their customers,” he says. “The customer feels like the bank is more committed to the local community, they feel like they’re getting more personal attention, and they’re more likely to be recognized when they walk into the bank, so that more personalized service is absolutely more likely to lead to advocacy.” Because people want to recommend the companies and brands that they know and trust, small businesses have a huge advantage. While there are no prototypical word-of-mouth marketing campaigns, the options are limitless. Here are a few that Fay mentioned: An email campaign where you encourage your subscribers to forward a message to their friends A referral campaign where your readers can send new customers your way, perhaps with a discount or perk Creating shareable content on your website Producing event marketing with the intention of having your best customers or clients bring their friends An ad campaign designed to generate conversation “What all word-of-mouth campaigns have in common is a strategy of encouraging customer recommendations and conversation,” Fay explains. Here are three highly effective word-of-mouth strategies.1. Have a good founding story. “When people recommend a company they like to explain the background, the reason the company was started, and so forth. You want to feel a personal connection, and if there’s a story you can relate to, you’re more likely to recommend them.” For more information on creating a compelling brand story, see our post on finding your brand’s content marketing narrative.2. Treat your customers like gold. Although some businesses like to offer great deals for new customers or clients – offering better rates than they do for their regular, established clients, for example – Fay warns against the practice of sacrificing current customers to try to gain future ones. This can make it more difficult to get referrals from those who are satisfied with your business. Keep current customers extremely satisfied, and it will encourage them to spread the word.3. Find ways to show that you care for your current customers or clients. Even small gestures can have a big effect. A recent example: I stayed at Magnolia Hotel in Denver, and was thrilled that they offered free milk and cookies before bedtime – to the point that I mentioned it on social media and even texted my husband to let him know my options: regular milk, chocolate milk or strawberry milk.

Four out of five people will tell an average of three others about a positive experience they had with a company.

Word-of-mouth marketing is very difficult, this is what makes it great. People do change generation by generation, but the principles will remain the same. Evaluate for yourself what’s working and what’s not. For your industry and business it might be completely different. Be creative and spontaneous, give the ‘wow’ experience a try. Most importantly, have some fun, it will work if you don’t give up.

I think on initial phase you will have work hard as once your product is moving in the market then it wil work automatically, as mouth publicity pays very important role in the market but for that product shlod be competitive and quality one. Explain your product features in to your group then in the market, just visit customer do legwork.

"Satisfied customers who will spread the word of mouth are the most powerful assets you have"

Provide a well developed product, professional salesperson/consultants, smooth sales process, excellent customer service/care, build healthy relations with customers, follow up and some advertising.                                                                   Thank You.

1. Shatter Expectations

 

We know that in order to benefit from effective word of mouth marketing, you need an exceptionally happy customer. How do you make a customer that happy? Well, it's not enough to do excellent work or provide a top-notch product; you need to do more. Here are some things you can try:

 

Provide responsive, comprehensive and consistent customer service

Send your clients relevant information that is meant to fulfill a need or solve a problem, not promote your services

Get to know your clients and their businesses so you can offer the most well-rounded service possible

Ask for feedback and do something with the results to help you improve

2. Ask!

 

Sometimes, all it takes to encourage a referral is a request. Explain what you hope to accomplish, what your long-term goals are for new business and how referrals fit into your plan. Then, make it very easy for your clients to refer you by providing all of the information they may need -- your product/service list, your contact information, relevant links, business cards, brochures, etc.

And, perhaps most importantly, make sure you individually thank each client for every single referral they send your way.

 

3. Identify Influencers

 

Among your client base and in your professional and social networks, there are people who garner the attention of others without even trying. They are magnetic, respected and heard. These are the people you want supporting you.

 

Reach out to these influencers to ask for support. Having them as your megaphone getting the message to otherwise hard-to-reach people can be invaluable to your word of mouth marketing campaign.

 

4. Refer Your Own Clients

 

Do you see the value in what your clients are providing to their own clients? Do you know a few people who could benefit from your clients' services? Make an introduction, promote relevant products/services to your network, and refer your clients to others whenever appropriate. This will start a trend of mutual referrals that can grow and benefit both you and your clients.

5. Focus on Relationships

 

It may sound simple, but developing meaningful relationships with clients and colleagues will make it easier for people to recommend you. Be genuine, respectful and honest, and put the emphasis on relationships. You may be surprised how this can lead to referrals.

 

Just like any other type of marketing, effective word of mouth requires a marketing plan and a targeted approach. Use this marketing plan tutorial to get started with incorporating word of mouth into your marketing strategy.

first mention your business at church, or other social events, having it listed in the yellow pages ... than have an excellent customer service ... some businesses conduct a servery to find out what they could do better.... good pricing , lead times, good products , friendly service and great customer service will start a good word to mouth will give you soon a good reputation

Agreed to the experts.................. 

Socialize, Talk about it yourself, link it up and state examples. one liner > Never take it easy. 

• Give your customers insider knowledge about your business
• Keep your staff in the loop and give them interesting stories that they can share with your customers
• Offer rewards to the customers and referred prospects(one way for referral prospect can be social medias)
• Track your words of mouth data

Ask for referrals and follow them up.

Mouth marketing can be done through identifying some special customer from our list who are very good influencers and good communicators in this kind of publicity. Making regular relationship through different PR activities with them will be more effective in the above subject.

 

The Best and quality service maintaining good personal relations with clients are always key mantra for mouth publicity.