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If your word of mouth program is focusing specifically on the friends of your fans, you might be missing a bunch of other potential conversations. Here are three examples worth considering:
1> Family
2> Business owners
3> Strangers
1> Family
Families are typically strong networks that frequently share word of mouth recommendations. Help fans welcome you into their families by targeting the times they all get together: holidays, vacations, and reunions. A favorite example of ours is Jones Soda’s annual “Holiday Pack” of gross flavors that has become a holiday tradition for lots of family get-togethers.
2> Business owners
Your fans shop, dine, and do business with lots of people you’d like to work with. Turn these fans into ambassadors with tools that make it easy for them to recommend you to these companies. Maker’s Mark Whiskey, for example, sent their fans simple stickers they could use to either thank restaurants for carrying Maker’s or to politely request they stock it for next time.
3> Strangers
You don’t have to recruit the most outgoing of fans to create conversations among them and strangers. Make it simple with tools that don’t require a lot of talking: Clothes, pins, and reusable gear all help them show support without speaking. A good test for this: What can you give to a customer that will start a conversation with the next person they see?
