Word of Mouth
Definition
When customers recommend your business to others through personal conversation. The most trusted form of marketing, but hard to control.
What is Word of Mouth?
Word of mouth (WOM) is when people talk about your business to others - recommending you to friends, mentioning you in conversation, or sharing experiences online. It happens naturally when people have strong opinions, positive or negative.
92% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know over any other form of advertising.
Why Word of Mouth Matters
- Trust: Personal recommendations outweigh any ad
- Free: Doesn't cost you directly
- Targeted: People recommend to others who'd benefit
- Powerful: Can make or break businesses
- Lasting: Creates ongoing awareness
Types of Word of Mouth
Organic WOM
Happens naturally. Someone loves your product and tells others without prompting.
Amplified WOM
Encouraged through campaigns, referral programmes, or incentives.
Online WOM
Reviews, social media mentions, forum discussions, and recommendations in online communities.
What Drives Word of Mouth
People talk about businesses when:
- Exceptional experience: Above-and-beyond service
- Surprise and delight: Unexpected positives
- Strong opinions: Love it or hate it
- Solving problems: You fixed something important
- Social currency: Makes them look good to share
Mediocre experiences rarely generate conversation.
Encouraging Word of Mouth
You can't control WOM, but you can encourage it:
- Deliver remarkable experiences
- Exceed expectations consistently
- Make it easy to share (links, referral tools)
- Ask for referrals at the right time
- Respond well to problems (negative to positive)
The Downside
Word of mouth cuts both ways. Poor experiences spread too - often faster than positive ones. One bad review or social media complaint can undo lots of good work.
The solution isn't avoiding word of mouth; it's delivering experiences worth talking about for the right reasons.