Creating Word Of Mouth Advertising

They say that Word of Mouth Advertising is the best.

There’s even a Word of Mouth Advertising Association to prove it!

They even have a blog

While you’re there you can even sign up for free training and updates by email.

Here are 5 tips from today’s blog entry on making B2B WOM work…

Tip #1. Believe that customer opinions matter
Companies say they believe this, but often it’s just lip service. Top brass needs to believe that a customer’s input on a product or service is valuable and worth responding to. Too often, people think, “There’s nothing my customers can tell me that I don’t already know.” Start with an education process for employees and decision-makers, or a consciousness-raising event.

Tip #2. Identify happy customers and industry influentials
Look for the people who influence the decision makers — they’re not always the obvious people. For example, visible movers and shakers who are active in peer networks are obvious influentials, but less visible influentials might be consultants and others who influence the RFP process.

Look to those who use your product, and those who don’t. Include your biggest critics.

Tip #3. Give them a voice
This can be a formal process or an informal one. You may ask them to join a customer advisory board, or you may simply have an email conversation.

Tip #4. Use their input to make improvements
It’s difficult to criticize a company when you’re actively engaged in a dialogue with the company’s employees. When influentials — both happy customers and critics — are in contact with you and you’re responding to them, they’re more likely to be in your court.

Tip #5. Communicate back about the changes
More than simply using the input from influentials, a company should let those people know that their voices are being heard. Again, this can be a formal or informal process. You might have quarterly meetings with advisory board members, or engage in email conversations, or use blogs.