Word of Mouth has enormous creative communication potential. Because what happens after a product experience? How do people find the right people to share their opinion with, how do they start a conversation with that person and what do they say then? Many creative solutions have been devised for these obstacles. I would like to share a number of good examples for inspiration.
A product experience is just the beginning
The starting point of WoM is a product experience. Trial increases the involvement with the product and the credibility of the buzz. Creating product experiences is taking on more and more forms. In addition to traditional street, in-store and magazine sampling…
are there branded communities like Yunomi
there are sampling and initiatives such as Try me now
is 'subscription commerce' on the rise
and campaigns are organized by WoM marketing agencies such as Bzzagent , Buzzer , TRND and The Insiders
Although the design, objectives and impact differ, these initiatives have in common that france phone number list they are based on 'sowing' the product, often among influential consumers.
With this commitment, WoM is expected to travel on its own. However, this is not at all self-evident. Each product has its own opportunities and threats that the consumer has to deal with. By addressing these directly, the product experience becomes more meaningful and the buzz is 'charged'.
Word of Mouth could use some help
The success of WoM depends largely on the consumer. They determine what they tell, how often and to whom. These factors give WoM a somewhat uncertain character. The buzz can be negative, there can be barriers that make it difficult for the story to travel or it proves difficult to find people who are interested in the product just like you.
By thinking about the obstacles of word-of-mouth advertising in advance and building a creative concept around it, barriers are broken down or even turned into something positive. The concept is turned into practical tools with which you can shape the buzz without affecting the open and honest nature of WoM. I call these buzz tools. The tools tackle the challenges of WoM and focus the communication on the USPs of the product.
WoM as a communication discipline
Every challenge has its own type of tool. We will mention the three most common ones.