No. 2 of a 4 Article Series

This week I’m talking about Word of Mouth or WOM. What it is, how to create it, etc. This is following a podcast hosted by Jay Ehret of The Marketing Spot featuring John Moore (from Brand Autopsy) and I.

I’m taking you through information that didn’t necessarily make the podcast.

Yesterday I shared thoughts on these ideas:

• (1) What is Word of Mouth?
• (2) Is WOM taking back seat to social media?

Today, I address these questions:

• (3) Is WOM diminished as a marketing discipline?
• (4) Is social media durable as a marketing and WOM tool?

(3) Is WOM diminished as a marketing discipline?

The question is really asking, “With the social media taking all the spotlight, is WOM going away?”

Heck, no. Word of mouth is here to stay – and we have no control over it. All we can try to influence it. It’s been around since the first caveman told the other caveman about a better watering hole… And WOM will be behind the comparison of living conditions in the various space colonies and types of jet-pack suits.

I mentioned yesterday social media tactics are popular right now because they are simple to implement, trendy, and easy for people to track and measure. WOM is not simple, nor necessarily easy.

(4) Is social media durable as a marketing and WOM tool?

The biggest chunk of bunk is that social media is the solution, or the objective… It is just one of many possible tactics – methods to reach potential audiences. Social media tools effectively reach those connected to the internet with an I.V.

There are groups of people – whole masses of people – believe it or not – who use the internet only as a phone directory, to Google something, for a stock quote, the weather and news headlines. *GASP* Social media doesn’t reaching these folks. It is okay, however, there are other forms of media.

The worst mistake a company can make is think their implementation of a few social media tools constitutes a comprehensive WOM strategy.

It follows the problem I call: Tactic Lust. Where we love a tactic so much – we’re convinced it is the magic bullet and immediately want to implement it. However, if you start at the strategy: “to create meaningful conversations with our customers” – there may be a chance your resulting tactics have nothing to do with using a computer. (If you want to read more about tactic lust, you may enjoy my article Tactic Lust I wrote for the Marketing Profs Daily Fix blog.)

Tomorrow and Friday I’ll continue this series on WOM and address…

Thursday

• (5) What’s the role of social media in creating WOM?
• (6) Has the focus of social media had a negative effect on the Customer Experience?

Friday

• (7) How do you intentionally create WOM?
• (8) What are some WOM best practices for small businesses

What are your thoughts? And, hey… Thanks again for stopping by and reading.