So I was hoping all of you could help me flush out my list (and let me know if you think any of them don't actually work).
The water cooler - A product / TV show / ad was entertaining enough to be talked about at work. (I guess this one also is called the basis for viral marketing)
Advocates / ambassadors - People who love your product so much that they plug it all the time to friends and acquaintances. (I guess this one's the premise for buzz marketing).
The informal friend ask. These are like the confessional style ads:
A: "You know your hair looks great."
B: "Oh. Well my secret is Clairol. You should try it."
Business cards - when you hand someone a stack of business cards to pass them along to people they know to refer them to your product (maybe with coupon attached)
Gear - Clothes that advocate the brand. Free SOM T-shirts to wear at Welcome weekend...
Product boycotts - when there are people standing outside picketing telling you not to go into the store.
Any others?
Looking at these options, it seems that web based social media has the advantages of being potentially both trackable and cheaper, though I am always a fan of a free t-shirt.
Alan,
ReplyDeletei think all of your examples are valid, but to simplify it even further, the premise of social media for businesses/brands ("word-of-mouth" for offline application) is to provoke others to talk, or create buzz for them. I think this is very much why product development and customer service are being folded into "marketing." Essentially, with the power of technology, every component of a brand evolves into marketing communication.
If your customer service is horrible, you risk someone writing a blog, posting on facebook, complaining on online forums, denouncing you on twitter, not to mention telling friends personally that you suck.
Or say, the marketing of a product is great, but when you get home and unbox it, it's a huge letdown. That information will get out, and much more instantaneously than in the past. The point is that every individual now has their own soapbox (and platforms) to speak on behalf of a brand.
Social media is the democratic proliferation of what has historically been structured public relations managed by some go-getter with lots of connections to media outlets. They get product placements in strategic locations (celebrities, magazine, movies, etc.).
So, social media is not a new idea, it's just been amplified by the evolution of the internet. Everyone has a voice. Now brands must be more responsible in how they manage all customer relationships, not just the "good" ones.