The Best Kept Secret In B2B Marketing May Be Word Of Mouth Marketing
Does your marketing plan include a strategy for word of mouth marketing (WOMM)? If not, and your traditional marketing is the least bit effective, then you are probably benefiting in some way from WOMM without any focused effort. Your customers, prospects, and influencer advocates are talking about your products and services and those of your competitors. Are you listening and providing relevant stories worth talking about?
What is WOMM and why should you care?
Word of mouth is as old as the first prehistoric pre-hunt grunts heard around the campfires in front of caves. And today, it’s still a vital part of the hunting process.
Here’s how Wikipedia defines WOMM:
Word-of-mouth marketing (WOMM, WOM marketing), also called word of mouth advertising, is an unpaid form of promotion oral or written[1]in which satisfied customers tell other people how much they like a business, product, service or event. According to Entrepreneur Media, word-of-mouth is one of the most credible forms of advertising because people who don’t stand to gain personally by promoting something put their reputations on the line every time they make a recommendation.[2]
We’re marketing in the age of the empowered and informed consumer. In addition to face-to-face conversations taking place during a discovery phase, the information online is infinite and everywhere. From any perspective, while your potential customer is moving from discovery to consideration to decision, they are likely to be influenced by WOMM along the way.
I believe WOMM may be more vital in B2B than it is in B2C. Your buyers aren’t making decisions based on lifestyle. For them it’s about their livelihood. It’s business. People’s jobs are at stake.
How much more effective could WOMM be for your brand if you learned more about it and how to implement a plan?
I have several steps for you to follow if you want to learn more about implementing WOMM for either B2B or B2C marketing:
- If you work in marketing on either the client side or agency side in either B2B or B2C, in any of these three cities; Chicago, Seattle or Atlanta – don’t miss this live event celebrating WOMMFEST 2013. All three locations are wired in for this shared experience.
- Refer to my previous article on the subject of WOMM and some sage insights from Ted Wright of FIZZ, an Atlanta-based WOMM Agency recognized globally as leading experts on the subject.
- Consider joining WOMMA. The Word Of Mouth Marketing Association provides countless opportunities and content for learning more about putting the power of WOMM to work. And if you don’t join, you can still follow and learn from WOMMA via social media.
- Don’t forget to mark your calendar for February 19th and register now for WOMMFEST 2013. I hope to see you there!
