Advertising is one of the ways businesses use to inform customers about their products. Most clients rely on referrals from friends, relatives, and social media to make a purchasing decision. Quality is a prerequisite to word of mouth advertising since customers will only refer friends to companies whose services were satisfactory. In this article, we focus on the most effective word of mouth advertisement strategies used by leading companies. Our suggestions encompass traditional word of mouth advertising campaigns and social media advertisements.
8 Beneficiary Word Of Mouth Advertising Strategies
1. Use of Influencers
The use of influencer customers is a word of mouth advertising where selected customers have the role of influencing others to use a product. In this type of campaign, selected individuals are given a product sample. The clients are then encouraged to use one of the samples and share the rest of the samples with close friends and relatives.
This type of advertisement is important in boosting brand awareness and increasing purchase intent. Customers who have tried a product are likely to go back to the shelves and buy it or refer a friend who needs a similar product.
2. Customer service
Customer service is a favorite word of mouth advertising strategy for most leading businesses. This type of advertisement helps in developing a long-term relationship with clients by addressing customer concerns professionally, appreciating customers after making a purchase, and providing services that meet or exceed their needs.
The simple gestures make customers feel valued. Satisfied customers will recommend a good business to their relatives and friends regarding the quality of services. Consequently, such referrals increase customer traffic into your business.
3. Organizing Tasting Parties And Demonstrations
Tasting parties and presentations are advertising strategies used mostly by the beverage industry to attract prospective clients. Tasting parties give a company the chance to showcase its product pipeline alongside demonstrating its product’s superiority compared to its competitors’ products.
While attending the parties, customers will try your product before buying it. If the quality or price is good, party attendees will most likely purchase the products. The strategy is useful in boosting sales by attracting new customers, generating new interest in your products through testing, and increasing customer bookings. It is easier for a customer to recommend a product he/she has tried rather than one they have only heard of.
4. Sponsoring events
Event sponsorships are used by companies to increase publicity alongside interacting with new and old customers. Most events like sports and other contests bring diverse people together. A company can share their business cards to the attendees and take advantage of the event to showcase their brands. The company representatives in the event can also create time to encourage the attendees to try out the company’s products.
In the sponsorship event, a company can have free giveaways. Giveaways enable you to engage potential clients and even turn clients into regular customers. You can also turn the attendees into ambassadors of your product.
5. Product customization
Different customers have different tastes towards various products. Today, most companies are customizing their products as a response to this customer need. Product customization boosts customer ownership and product loyalty. Personalization can be in the form of providing products with different colors, designs, and making various engravings.
Product customization gives customers a unique experience that draws their interest from competitor products. The strategy also attracts new clients who prefer to look unique and innovative. As a rule, customers who have tried your product will refer other customers to get their preferred products from your company.
6. Relate your product with a cause or an enticing tale
Tying stories to your product line is another important aspect that has helped to boost word of mouth advertising. However, make sure you can support the story with facts, and that it can induce feelings. It can contain the processes involved in coming up with your brand or even the staff involved in coming up with the name. Finally, the story should end with how your brand benefits a customer.
Business experts say that customers are tempted to share experiences with their family and friends. As a result, sharing helps to spread your business brand from one person to another if it involves your clients encouraging others to try out your products.
7. Encouraging customer feedbacks on social media
Social media is one way through which people share their opinions. Top companies have different social media accounts through which the company and its customers “meet” and share their thoughts. The companies encourage their customers to leave a comment regarding the company’s services and products. The reviews help new customers who consider other customer opinions before making a purchasing decision.
In reality, companies that offer quality services and goods have more positive reviews than the negatives. New customers feel at ease to deal with firms that have been reviewed positively rather than those evaluated negatively. To reap full benefits, however, companies should ensure that they give their clients an experience that inspires them to refer their friends to the companies.
8. Structuring an ambassador program
Another way to boost your organization’s word of mouth advertisement is through an ambassador program. The ambassador program can be made up of employees supplying samples and providing more information about your products to consumers. Representatives can also help to spread the firm’s information in various events.
In addition, other leading companies sponsor students. Youngsters help to create and spread stories about various products offered by the company. As a result, this strategy increases brand awareness, improving sales.
Every business can benefit from word of mouth advertising. For the plan to succeed, however, a company has to provide exceptional services that prompt customers to recommend the company to their friends and relatives. Referrals are one way to attract new customers since most people trust personal recommendations than they would other advertisements. Despite the fact that the clients are the main subjects involved in word of mouth advertising, companies have the ability to determine the outcome.
Please feel free to share your experience and opinion regarding the word of mouth as a sales promotion method. What strategy do you consider to be the best approach to advertising?