Getting your customers to want to spread the word about your company, voluntarily and enthusiastically, is what is known as energizing the groundswell. Word of mouth is information coming from customers and it is successful because it is believable, self-reinforcing, and self-spreading (groundswell, 2011, p.130). Word of mouth is honest because its not the company tooting its own horn, its customers sharing experiences. Tapping into this honest, passionate message is energizing the groundswell. The value of this comes from customer recommendations. A customer who will promote your product or company will tell their friends, and they’ll tell their friends (and so on, and so on). In fact, word of mouth can be so effective that there are companies who pay for critics to talk about your product.
Paying for someone to talk about your product online can be costly. You can get people talking yourself by connecting with your customers. Offer an online community and participate in it. Give your enthusiasts and opportunity to engage with ratings and reviews. Know the social technographic profile of your customers and meet them where they are.
Companies like Constant Contact, an email marketing company, relies on word of mouth to sign up new referrals to the community. This activity energizes customers, spawns conversations, and creates revenue.
Energizing the customers can be risky, since you’re leaving them to talk about your brand. Some will be enthusiastic and speak highly of you and your product. Some won’t. Getting your base energized and talking about you can transform your company.
References
Li, C., & Bernhoff, J. (2011). Groundswell: Winning in a world transformed by social technologies. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press
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