Traditionally, brands and businesses have advertised online and offline as part of their marketing strategy. While this can be effective over time there is one marketing method that will grow your business like nothing else, and that is through word-of-mouth. In order to effectively harness the power of this natural force, it is important to approach your audience the right way.
How can your brand best connect with its fans and followers? Through the human connection of appealing to their desires and needs with content and images that will create a memorable image of your brand. Today social media allows us to collaborate and share information. In essence this can draw attention far more than what advertising can do. You can use your engagement as an opportunity to positively impact others.
Today a personal brand should become more personal with its audience and customers. These connections create more of an awareness and can even help increase sales and leads.
What Makes Word-of-Mouth Marketing Powerful
Creating a marketing campaign is not enough to connect with your potential customers in order to project a buzz for your brand. Here are some key factors to people spreading the word on your brand or business:
• Free advertising – Because word-of-mouth marketing is so powerful it simply cannot be ignored. And the best part is that it is free! What if just one person said something great about your brand to another person? That should always be the goal as recommendations spread quickly both online and offline.
• Create a circle of trust – Many people will trust a celebrity’s advice just based on their reputation. As a brand you can harness this as well by answering questions, solving problems, and showcase your expertise. As you help others word will spread about your attentiveness to their needs.
• Create brand evangelists – As your personal brand establishes credibility and trust, an army of fans is being built. This becomes a strong network of supporters who are willing to spread the word for you, and build a buzz online.
• Plan for the long term – Building a loyal and trusted name for your brand through word-of-mouth marketing takes time. The key is to remain consistent, engaged, and interested in your target audience.
As word-of-mouth marketing continues to dominate, it is important to stay connected with your audience and interact with them frequently. Pay attention to what content or images create the most interaction. Stay focused on the needs of the audience, and remember that fresh original content is going to make a lasting impression for your brand.
