This is a guest post from Drew McLellan, CEO and Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group. Research tells us that there is no more compelling way to drive sales than word of mouth marketing. This isn’t new news. We’ve always valued what our neighbors, friends and family had to say. It reduces the risk of buying…
The art of making your customers the hero of the story
This is a guest post by marketing consultant, speaker, and author John Jantsch. The ideas in this post are drawn from his most recent work, The Commitment Engine — Making Work Worth It. Find more information at www.makingworkworthit.com. I use the idea of “hero” a fair amount when I talk about marketing stories. I don’t use…
WOM Tip #116: Support the fans who support you
True love only works when it goes both ways. It’s true in life and it’s true in marketing. Show fans you’re grateful for them. Find ways to pay them back for their love and support. Maybe it’s a super-special discount, exclusive access, or a fantastic surprise. For inspiration, check out this great video Honda put…
Don’t just listen: Join the word of mouth conversation
This is a guest post from Ferg Devins, Chief Public Affairs Officer at Molson Coors in Canada. Have you ever been sitting on the subway and heard two people talking about something you have knowledge about and just know that they have the facts wrong? Or perhaps it’s at the dinner table with family and relatives waxing on…
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…
Ads worth spreading
This is a guest post from Mitch Joel — President, Twist Image and author of Six Pixels of Separation. See the original post this is adapted from and more like it on his blog. People hate advertising. How often have you heard that line? Do you believe it to be true? I don’t (no shock there). I prefer to turn the…
Word of Mouth Tip #108: Disclosure is easy
An ethical and honest disclosure doesn’t have to be complicated, and it doesn’t have to be loaded with legal jargon. Just say who you are, who you work for, if you’re being paid — anything the reader / site owner / customer needs to know. And the best part? Great disclosure makes your marketing, your…