Get the Word Out

Mark Twain once said, “Facts are stubborn.”  Well how about the enlightening analysis below pulled from the Nielsen Online Global Consumer Study from April of this year.  More of a reinforcement of what we may have already known, but I always like to support opinions with facts.

 To quote a summary piece on this from Retail Wire:

 The recommendation of someone else remains the most trusted source of information when consumers decide which products and services to buy,” said David McCallum, the global managing director for Nielsen’s Customized Research Services, in a statement. “Even though new media technologies are playing a role in ‘globalizing’ society, many purchasing decisions are still based on firmly held national and cultural attitudes. Furthermore, given that nothing travels faster than bad news - with estimates that reports of bad experiences outnumber good service reports by as many as 5:1 - the importance of responsive, high quality customer service is yet again highlighted.”

The survey of 26,486 internet users across 47 markets in Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas and the Middle East probed consumers attitudes on 13 forms of advertising. Other findings:

• Traditional advertising channels continue to retain consumers’ trust. Newspapers rank second worldwide in credible advertising mediums while television and radio each ranked above 50 percent;
• Brand web sites were trusted by 60 percent of respondents, but brand sponsorships were only trusted by only 49 percent;
• E-media advertising received particularly low trust grades: search engine ads, 34 percent; online banner ads, 26 percent; and text ads on mobile phones, 18 percent. “E-mails I signed up for” rated 49 percent.

Some of you may be going well, “duh”, we all knew that word of mouth trumped just about everything else and is very powerful.  No wonder it’s the most trusted source.  After all it’s about as authentic and real as it gets.  But here’s the rub.  Why do we keep trying to influence word of mouth and harness it.  This is where I may disagree with such “sanctioning bodies” like the Word of Mouth Marketing Association.

You can’t create word of mouth any more than control it.  Word of Mouth is the end product of a remarkable and memorable consumer experience.  As I like to say it comes after the = sign.  It is not created in some brand strategy Petri dish.  There is an old saying in small businesses that never really tires that goes, “If you like the service you received,  tell a friend.  If you don’t tell me”.  Me being the proprietor of course.

It’s simple in concept yet very difficult in execution.  Consumer’s words come from their mouths -not ours as brand marketers.  We can facilitate it and respond to it, but we can not create their words anymore than we can create their mouths.  What we can do is create an engaging experience worthy of discussion. 

From the simplest retail and transaction customer service experience to other related touch points like on-line, brands need to make it fun, stimulating, and pleasurable to do business with them and use their products.  That’s what people talk about.  The ordinary and mundane seldom gets a mention around the proverbial water cooler. 

And much to the dismay of price discounters….people don’t usually start a meaningful conversation with what they paid for something.  Not to slam the success of our friends in Bentonville, but price is very seldom a firm foundation for a remarkable brand experience.

Marketing is seduction.  Treat them like it’s your first date…every time.  Make them want to tell their friends how HOT you are!

One Response to “Get the Word Out”

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