Word of Mouth Marketing is Still a Successful Advertising Ploy

Word of Mouth Marketing is Still a Successful Advertising Ploy

It seems word of mouth marketing (WOMM) has gone nearly extinct with the rise of social and mobile media marketing. However, is this completely true in the new digital age? Experts believe word-of-mouth marketing is still a crucial way to generate leads and higher conversions. Here are some ways to revive this traditional advertising technique in your online campaigns.

Restore Brand Trust

Today’s buyers are simply drained from endless business ads across Facebook. In fact, most customers want a return to grass-roots levels for shopping and building organic relationships with brand owners. This is why 92 percent of consumers prefer recommendations from family and friends above ads and digital forms of marketing. 

This is according to Nielsen’s Global Trust in Advertising which has seen strong resurgence in word-of-mouth marketing in the last few years. As a business owner, you can generate stronger leads with influential customers that are willing to spread the word about your company. Remember, buyers tend to trust people they know – and are willing to accept business referrals and product/service organic advertising.

Surpass Cold Calling

There are over 210 million people now listed on the US Do Not Call registry. This is according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) which continues to combat nagging robocalls and misleading scams. Still, this is over 200 million people that legitimate companies could be marketing their brands and services to. With the growing elimination of these potential sources, word-of-mouth-marketing has resurfaced as a viable and user-friendly advertising tool. Here are some more ways that that WOMM is electrifying the market again:

• Many businesses – that have lost potential revenue due to unwanted calling lists – are making up for these losses with traditional, word of mouth marketing.
• Several brands are offering incentives to top-shoppers (special discounts, access to flash sales, promotional items, etc) for spreading the word about their businesses. This includes using social networking and referral programs to attract and engage new customers.
• WOMM is completely legal and not subject to all FTC guidelines and regulations. However, companies cannot harass potential customers/clients (like cold calling) or risk assessing fines, citations, and penalties.

Build Value Again

As a small business owner with a tight ad budget, word-of-mouth marketing may be your perfect solution. Also known as business or viral marketing, this form of advertising is designed to build your brand’s value and awareness. While higher visibility is important in becoming competitive, you do have less control over word of mouth than other paid forms of marketing. Still, this is a viable platform for owners since referrals tend to bring in new, interested buyers. These customers are more likely to purchase greater items via referrals - than those that stumble across your online stores or pages.

According to the University of North Carolina’s Center for Integrated Marketing and Sales (CIMS), referred customers tend to stick with your brands and companies longer than folks who find them through other means. Referred customers that are happy also tend to direct their friends and loved ones towards your business. This builds brand value again while helping your business grow, expand, and compete.

Low Cost Incentives

Another benefit of word-of-mouth marketing is that it has little to no overhead costs. Unlike other forms of paid advertising, WOMM is truly an inexpensive marketing tool that increases your business and brand awareness. If you do not have the budget for pricy print ad campaigns or radio/TV spots, referrals is a proven way to bring back loyal customers that may have opted for Amazon and other online shopping outlets. You can even add cost-effective e-mail marketing promotions and/or social networking to your marketing mix.

Build Business Again

While WOMM is certainly now new, it still plays a critical role in brand building and engagements. If you cannot compete with larger, establish brands, using word-of-mouth marketing still evokes emotions and builds positive feelings about your products and services. This essentially highlights you brands in a stronger light – one that can be reflected in tips, articles, and other informational materials.