The Power of Word of Mouth Advertising

By Debbie L Moore

In this day of "sophisticated" advertising methods with names like PPC, CPA, and traffic exchange, you hardly hear much about word of mouth advertising.

Even if you seldom hear about it, there are several reasons why you shouldn't overlook this powerful marketing strategy.

The number one reason you should seriously consider this marketing method is, it works! Word of mouth advertising is powerful because it comes "straight from the horse's mouth", so to speak. This makes the method believable and very credible.

Testimonials are really a form of word of mouth advertising in the sense they are come directly from people who have firsthand experience with the product or service. This form of advertising can be very effective. This is why you see testimonials on so many of the websites and sales literature. Testimonials are an excellent way to promote your product and service if you use legitimate testimonials from actual people who have used whatever is being promoted.

Another reason to use word of mouth advertising is the cost. If you have an excellent product or service you're promoting, a satisfied customer will be your best advertising. And this is free in the sense you aren't paying directly for an ad. Yes, you may have paid to get the original customer, but if they are satisfied and tell others, you don't pay another dime for them spreading the word. A satisfied customer will be naturally compelled to tell others.

When I think of a good personal example of this, my local bus line comes to mind. About a year ago, I reluctantly bought a round trip ticket on the bus from my home town to the nearby city. I knew I didn't want to hassle with driving in the traffic. Plus, I didn't want to have to deal with loading on and off the ferry. Much to my surprise, I found the bus ride enjoyable. Since then, I have ridden the bus whenever I go to the city.

So, what do I like about riding the bus? Well, for one thing, they are always on time. The bus is always clean and well maintained. The drivers are friendly and helpful and make you feel like they are glad you're there. To top it off, they offer free bottled water, cookies, and Wi-Fi. I can sit on the bus, read a book, take a nap, and be sure I'll arrive at my destination on time.

So, do I tell others about the bus service? You bet I do! Every chance I get I recommend they take the bus to the city rather than drive. No one has to ask me to do this. I want to because I want others to know about their excellent service.

You can't lose with word of mouth advertising. Not only is it inexpensive, it is also powerful.