Many small-business owners are constantly working to improve their business offerings and gain more business. It is no secret that marketing is the key to getting the word out and getting the attention of potential customers. There are so many ways to market your offerings, but which is the most effective? Word of mouth is still the most important way to market your business, and here’s why.
It’s incredibly powerful. Think about a time when you experienced something so great, you had to share it with all of your friends. Maybe it was a new restaurant you visited, or you simply got great service at a local business. When someone spreads the word about a business to friends and colleagues, those people know that the information is coming from someone they trust.As a result, many of those friends or colleagues might be interested in trying it out for themselves.
Word of mouth, assuming it’s positive, helps a business gain customers for many reasons; the most obvious one is that the person sharing the experience isn’t getting anything in return for the review or referral. The recommendation is spontaneous, and the person talking about it is clearly passionate about the experience. As mentioned, this makes it highly trustworthy. Word-of-mouth marketing is also wonderful because in addition to being effective, it’s free!
So how can you get word-of-mouth reviews for your small business?
- First, keep your customers happy. Happy customers will stay customers, and they will be more likely to pass your information along to their friends.
- Communicate, solve problems, and stay in touch. Having quality relationships is worth a lot more than having a large number of followers who aren’t loyal to your brand.
There are several types of software a small-business owner can use to increase word-of-mouth marketing. These systems will help automate and give your customers perks, points, and other awesome bonuses if they refer customers to you. In addition to this, many of these software systems can be integrated with your business website. Following are some platforms we love.
UpViral is easy to use and can be integrated with many email marketing platforms. Some of its highlights include the ability to run campaigns, offer content, and run product launches. The goal is to drive more traffic to your website through incentives.
ReferralCandy is great for e-commerce sites. This platform allows businesses to reward people with cash, store credit, discounts, or free products. There is a variety of themes, and it is easy to promote. Many of the customer reviews say it is easy to install and use, and that the program takes the work out of referrals for the company.
Viral Loops is very flexible. It allows users to launch their own viral program with easy-to-use templates. There is even a free trial so you can take the program for a test drive.
InviteReferrals offers many customization capabilities. This is perfect for mobile users. The program can adapt to your needs and offers competitive pricing options.
Untorch is an automated system that allows you to test the software before you purchase it. It keeps track of referrals and provides a unique URL for customers to share. A unique email capture form ensures that email subscribers are put on autopilot.
While there are many forms of marketing, word of mouth is still the most powerful, and it’s often underestimated by small-business owners. Focusing on taking care of your clients and encouraging them to spread the word continues to be the best way to gain new clients.
