WOM Tip #45: Don’t make something for everyone, make something for someone

It’s really, really hard to design a product for the masses that’s worth talking about.

You’re better off making something for a specific group of people — something they’ll absolutely love. Even if the rest of the world hates it, that’s OK. It’s not for them.

The result is a polarizing product that has raving fans and critics. You’ll create something worth arguing over, and this can drive word of mouth conversations for a long, long time.

A great example is Jeppson’s Malort, made by the Carl Jeppson Company in Chicago. This liquor is one of the most intense flavors ever bottled — and most people only need one sip to judge it.

But it’s a staple in Chicago bars because it’s something you challenge a friend to when they come for a visit. From the bottle’s label:

Most first-time drinkers of Jeppson Malort reject our liquor. Its strong, sharp taste is not for everyone. Our liquor is rugged and unrelenting (even brutal) to the palate. During almost 60 years of American distribution, we found only 1 out of 49 men will drink Jeppson Malort. During the lifetime of our founder, Carl Jeppson was apt to say, ‘My Malort is produced for that unique group of drinkers who disdain light flavor or neutral spirits.

A whole lot of people try it, but only a tiny percentage like it. And that’s OK — because everyone talks about it.

For more: Check out this video of Chicago Redeye staffers sampling the drink for the first time.

Tags: , , ,

Comments are closed.

Featured Downloads

9 Things to Share That Start Conversations

Use the examples in this guide to help inspire ways to make your message more portable and shareable.

Read More

3 Must-Use Word of Mouth Marketing Tools

These tools will help you kick off any word of mouth campaign no matter what topic, industry, or budget.

Read More

The Top Four Tips for Multiplying Your Word of Mouth

These tips can help you get your marketing to do more work without a lot of extra effort.

Read More

10 Ways to Turn Around Negative Word of Mouth

The most effective ways to stop negative WOM with examples from Zappos, FedEx, Dell, and more.

Read More

The New Topics Worksheet

All word of mouth starts with a topic of conversation — a simple, portable, repeatable idea that gets people talking.

Read More

The Word of Mouth Action Plan

Create a complete word of mouth marketing plan using this worksheet’s eight simple steps.

Read More