Start conversations by helping fans say hello to their friends.
You can do it with small gifts they can share, extra free samples, or even stationery — anything that makes both the talker and the recipient feel good. Something as simple as a postcard you send for your customers, for example, is a cheap way to help a new fan instantly start a conversation with a buddy.
And remember, like many great word of mouth strategies, this technique works best when the conversation isn’t specifically about you.
How a word of mouth supergenius does it:
For Christmas, Google’s Gmail team offered to send holiday cards for their fans.
With six themed cards to choose from (all subtly using Gmail’s “M” logo), fans could add their own personal message before Gmail sent them off, snail-mail style.
And when they ran out of their supply of printed cards, Google allowed fans to download and print the cards themselves.
