Word of Mouth Marketing Works Best Sometimes When You Provide Words

October 9, 2008 by Doug Mitchell

Word of mouth marketing drives a huge amount of small business success. We’re a youthful firm and most of our business is derived this way so we know what it means to us. But sometimes we think its best to help clients deliver a better word of mouth experience to achieve maximum results.

We’re launching a WOM system here at createWOW. We’re leveraging:

Send O ut Cards to immediately follow up with clients and guide them to what we think will minimize their time investment and maximize new business for us.
Referral cards to share our brand and message with the new potential client. This way the client doesn’t need to have our “porch pitch” on the tip of their tongue. They can hand off the card and just say, “Wow! It was unbelievable doing business with these guys!”
A more formalized “Referral business follow up appointment.” Here we actually revisit the client at a scheduled time to go through their contacts and formally contact them via phone and/or email together and attempt to set appointments or at least make introductions and connect the dots.
A “secret password” that clients can share with potential clients. I know it’s corny but nothing is cooler than saying, “I was told to give you a call…and the password is “CheesyPoof.” It’s an ice breaker and a fun way to start a relationship. Adam Steen at 25 Connections can take credit for this method. Anyone that calls and says, “Hello Doug, the password is Tube Sock” is in like Flynt and gets every bit of my attention instantly. Thanks Adam.

These methods are designed to assist and maximize value within the Word of Mouth Marketing process. We believe it helps systematize something that is often left to chance. Generating new business, especially in this economy, shouldn’t be left to chance. What do you think?