Connect with me on LinkedIn
What is a Virtual CMO? - http://virtualcmo.expert/

Word of Mouth Marketing Strategy
In talking with several hundred business owners and entrepreneurs for over thirty years, I have learned that word-of-mouth is always the most favored method of how small business brands grow. Yet, I have also observed that very few business people initiate proactive word-of-mouth campaigns or tactics. Too many view word-of-mouth as something that just happens, and in no way can be proactively guided as an ongoing strategy.  A Nielsen study in 2013 found that earned media (also described in their report as word-of-mouth) is the most trusted source of information in all countries it surveyed worldwide. Moreover, it found that it is the channel that is most likely to stimulate consumers into action. There are three important factors which underlie powerful and successful word-of-mouth marketing strategy all of which can be proactively initiated:

1. Acceptable Product/Service
2. Opinion Leaders & Influencer
3. Publicity

Acceptable Product/Service
You can’t have an unacceptable product or service and generate any effective word-of-mouth. Acceptable only means that your audience likes what you offer and has a willingness to continue to do business with you. While McDonald’s does not make the highest quality hamburger, millions upon millions find their products and services acceptable. And they are quite profitable. Now there are degrees to being acceptable. One could rise to the very top of the “Acceptable Scale” and become a legendary brand such as Tiffany's, Apple, or Disney.  But there are legendary brands on a micro level, such as the local diner that people wait in line to get into every day. They may not serve the healthiest food, but they are quite acceptable and popular with the locals. One can always improve the quality of the product and/or service of one’s brand. In this way, you are proactively setting the stage for better word-of-mouth. Creating a one-of-a-kind product or delivering 5-Star service only helps you to generate stronger word-of-mouth. 

Opinion Leaders & Influencers 
Once your brand can consistently deliver an acceptable product or service, one needs to tap into those who can influence others. It is a known fact that many people judge who to do business with based on what others say. Opinion leaders and Influencers are not just Instagram models with millions of followers. We have been desensitized that someone who could influence a few hundred or a couple of thousand people is of no value.  These smaller, more focused niche experts connect on a deeper level with their audiences and generate greater engagement.

In fact, micro-influencers with 1,000 followers generated 85% higher engagement than those having 100,000 followers, and as the number of followers increases the engagement tends to decrease. Publicity is concerned with providing favorable information to the media and any third-party outlets, such as bloggers, mainstream media, as well as new media forms such as podcasts and YouTube vloggers. 

“Publicity is absolutely critical. A good PR story is infinitely more effective than a front page ad.” - Richard Branson

The prime role of publicity is to provide a message to consumers without having to pay for direct time or space. This not only creates awareness, but publicity achieves greater credibility in that others are now talking about your brand. The use of publi