Three Ways to Drive Word-of-Mouth

This article was written by Kim T. Gordon of Entrepreneur.com

Most everyone agrees: There's no better advertising than word-of-mouth. After all, a customer who calls you following a personal recommendation from a friend or colleague is more likely to buy. And that makes the pursuit of positive word-of-mouth every entrepreneur's holy grail.

Today, marketers have created a science out of winning word-of-mouth, or WOM. There's even a Word of Mouth Marketing Association for marketing professionals charged with building word-of-mouth for their companies. The truth is, the right kind of talk doesn't always come cheap, and you have to actively pursue WOM. For maximum results, build a formalized WOM program using at least one of the following three major tactics.

1. Marketing to influencers: Every community has them. Whether they're into electronics or fashion, "influencers" are at the head of every trend. Not only do they know which restaurant has the "in" chef or where to shop for the perfect athletic shoe, they're also happy to tell all their friends and associates about it.

How can you find influencers and get them talking about you? Open up dialogue by listening to customers and welcoming their comments -- both positive and negative -- through your Web site. Then identify the most active participants and invite them to become part of an influential group that's first to gain information on or access to new products and services.

Another option is to pinpoint organizations or groups whose members will be receptive to your message, and seek out the influencers within them. For example, the manufacturer of a new flavored water enhancer focused its message on how its product helped people drink the recommended amount of water for good health without extra sugar or artificial ingredients, and it sent samples to dietitians and nutritionists across the country to distribute to their patients.

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