HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR WORD OF MOUTHIMPACT TO GET THE RIGHT PEOPLETALKING ABOUT YOUR BRAND

Word of mouth (WOM) is a marketing force of nature, and almost anyone reading this worksheet

knows exactly why: Consumers value trusted recommendations more than just about anything else.

Research from Nielsen points out that 92 percent of consumers value a recommendation from a trusted source above all other marketing materials. But the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) and the American Marketing Association (AMA) found that only six percent of marketing executives have mastered this channel. The big question is why.

Often, it all boils down to perception. Marketers are intrigued by this channel. But as much as you believe in the value of engaging category influencers, CFOs want to see cold, hard proof in the form of past performance and direct revenue gains.

From an analytics perspective, this process can feel like trying to capture lightning in a bottle.

Smart marketers know, however, that even the toughest challenges have solutions. That’s why we wrote this guide—to help you forge ahead in developing a quantifiable, well-funded strategies that will amplify the impact of every brand campaign you create. Here’s how to make it happen.

WOM marketing is all about people. To get the word out about your brand and product, you need to connect with your customers and their buying journeys. Look at where they have online and offline conversations about what to buy.

AUDIENCE CONTENT INCENTIVES

Example: Retail influencers at specialty reality locations

Example: Ski Patrol

Example: Tutorials on how to align the right target customer with your new product

Example: Product specifications on a new line of jackets

Example: Limited-time discounts offered before product release

Example: Discounts on this season’s premier jacket

• Define what an influencer looks like for your brand. Who do they turn to advice? Where do they shop? Try interviewing your customers to understand their buying journeys.

• Create a list of key audience segments that can fit into the buying influencer profile.

• Map out the types of information those influencers would need to be better advocates for your brand.

• Determine what types of products, discounts, and offers are needed to give them first-hand experience with your brand.

FIND YOUR INFLUENCERS

A great strategy needs more than a few tweets, pins, and status updates to take off. You need to strike a chord with your target audience. Speak to their needs and delight them with information that aligns with their priorities and passions. In other words, you need to be relevant.

Rely on the following checklist to come out ahead:

Influencers like to feel they’re engaging with a brand directly—like they’re part of its culture, and like the brand values their expertise. Articulate why you care and why your products help your customers and your audience will listen and ‘pay it forward’ by sharing what you have to offer with friends and family through WOM.

• Create a list of the themes, topics, and specific discussion points that an influencer audience cares about.

• Create a list of the unique points of value that you want to highlight. Treat influencers as true insiders and know all the specs, details, and value points that would be important to their decision-making process.

EMPOWER YOUR ADVOCATES WITH ‘INSIDER KNOWLEDGE’ TO HAVE GREAT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT YOUR BRAND

Hot Topics and Themes Unique Value Points

Example: Environmentally friendly products

Example: Cutting-edge materials

Example: Percentage of production powered by wind powerExample: Products created by in-house research to outperform industry standards

Example: Before and After surveys to gauge lift in brand recommendations

We weren’t kidding when we said that your CFO wants to see cold, hard numbers.

More than ever, marketers have evolved from cost centers to strategic change agents within their organizations. You need to show what business objectives your campaigns are impacting and why. Here’s a checklist of what you need to do:

With this framework for analysis, you’ll be well-positioned to justify the value of your campaign. The closer you stick to your roadmap, the more empowered you’ll be to explain WOM’s value in terms of sales and revenue.

• Choose your marketing KPIs. What are the most important metrics for your brand?• What can you test? Are you strategic about roll-out strategies? Can you map into sell-through data in key regions?

PICK YOUR NUMBERS

Marketing KPIs Test Metrics to Measure

Example: Increased sell-through or engagement rates

Example: Likelihood to recommend your products

Example: A/B test key stores to measure impact on sell-through rates

Relationships are for the long haul—and your best advocates are going to be the top 20% in your cohort. So give these individuals the best treatment possible through perks, exclusive events, and special offers.

Empower them by giving them a stake in your product. Ask them for feedback, and position them as expert consultants to your business. They’ll help you learn what your product and marketing teams may not immediately see.

DOUBLE DOWN ON YOUR BEST ADVOCATES

Advocate Perks

Example: Brand certification awards

Example: Invitation to next year’s product testing

Example: First access to upcoming company news

To this point, you’ve been moving forward with a general sense of your business goals and how they pertain to your customer base. Now, it’s time to get granular.

Ultimately, consumers care about what matters to them, which means that a one-size-fits-all marketing program won’t be enough to drive the results you want to see. There’s a simple, two-step formula you should follow:

REFINE, REFINE, REFINE

• Figure out a very specific need or interest that exists in your market

• See how that need or interest scales across your target customer base

The trick is to narrow in on a very focused need for a large market. Prioritize the depth of your messaging above the urge to cast your net wide.

Example: Survey your influencers on new product features before product launches

Example: Use influencer feedback to improve upon products and product launches to all consumers

On the surface, getting the right people talking about your brand can seem like sheer luck. The steps above will ensure

that you make the strongest possible impact. Experticity helps brands target and engage their best advocates, reward

their expertise, and measure their impact on sales.