Did you ever look for your or a friend's name on a Coke bottle during the ‘Share a Coke’ campaign? It used to be all the craze and got people talking about the brand. It was a smart move on their marketing team's part as it set off a wave of another marketing strategy: word of mouth.

The amount of attention they got was insane. But that’s the power word of mouth marketing has. It can be such an effective way to bring in new customers and get your name out there.

So what exactly is word-of-mouth marketing?

What is Word-of-Mouth Marketing?

You go to lunch with a friend, and she tells you all about this great product she just found. She raves over all the great qualities and convinces you to buy the product. While this exchange feels like just another normal conversation for you, it was a moment of marketing for the business that sold that product.

Word of mouth marketing is when a person talks about a product or service in their daily lives to their friends, family, and anyone else they trust. This type of marketing works so well because people tend to trust others who have used the product or service already.

But how do you get people talking about your business? Take a look at these tips to keep people saying great things.

How to Master Your Word Of Mouth Marketing

There is no one secret to mastering word of mouth marketing. However, there are a few key things that you can do to increase the chance of people talking about your business.

To master your word of mouth marketing:

• Provide outstanding products or services

• Provide great customer service

• Be knowledgeable about your industry

• Keep in touch with your customers (even after a sale)

• Be active on your social accounts

• Contribute to your community

• Thank your customers

Provide Outstanding Products or Services

One of the best and most reliable ways to get excellent word-of-mouth marketing is to provide outstanding products and services. When people are happy with what they've received, they're naturally more likely to talk about it with their friends and family.

When it comes to providing great products and services, it's important to remember a few things:

1. Make sure you're always learning and keeping up with the latest trends in your industry

2. Pay attention to the small details and make sure every customer is satisfied

3. Be proactive and always be looking for ways to improve your products and services

4. Learn from customer feedback and make improvements based on their ideas

Provide Great Customer Service

When customers have a great experience with your company, they’re more likely to tell their friends and family. 72% of customers will tell at least six people if they have a satisfying experience with your business. And that’s not all – they’re also more likely to buy from that company again in the future.

Providing great customer service doesn’t have to be complicated. Be responsive to customers' questions and complaints and solve issues quickly. Make it easy for them to contact you and get ahold of you. By offering support through multiple channels, you can make it a breeze for them to get help with the things they need.

Give them a great experience every time they reach out. Be friendly and helpful, and try to put yourself in the customer's shoes. If your product or service can be challenging to explain, try to talk to them in the easiest way possible. You’re the thought leader; teach those who are ready to learn.

Keep in Touch to Stay on Their Minds

One of the most effective and least expensive ways to generate word-of-mouth marketing for your business is to stay in touch with your customers. Send them a thank-you email after they make a purchase, follow up with them after they’ve had a positive experience with your product or service, and keep them updated on your latest news and promotions to stay fresh in their minds. Whatever you do, make sure they know that you care about them and their experience.

Be Knowledgeable About Your Industry

Like we said above, being available as a thought leader is vital to increasing your word of mouth. People are more likely to talk about your company if they know you’re an expert. In order to establish yourself as an authority, it’s essential to be knowledgeable about the latest industry news and trends.

One of the best ways to create powerful word-of-mouth marketing is to be knowledgeable about your industry and be able to talk passionately about it. When people know that you’re an expert in your field, they’re more likely to trust your advice and recommendations. Write blog posts, ebooks, and any other tools you can use to share your knowledge to show you know your stuff.

Keep up with new information by:

• Following social media groups and pages

• Attend networking events

• Get alerts for topics with Google Alerts

• Follow an industry blog

No one knows your industry like you do. And, as the saying goes, “knowledge is power.” When you become the expert in your industry, you can start to take control of your word-of-mouth marketing.

Be Active on Your Social Media Accounts

Nowadays, it’s not enough to just have a social media account. To really take advantage of the marketing potential that social media has to offer, you have to be active on those accounts. But what does ‘active’ mean, exactly?

It means regularly posting content and interacting with followers. Remember to keep your content relevant to your brand to make sure you’re attracting the right audience. Work to create conversations with customers through your posts and comments. Use hashtags to reach even further and see who you can draw to your business.

Contribute to Your Community

There are a lot of ways to get people talking about your business. But one of the most reliable methods is to contribute to your community. When you give back to your community, you show your investment in the area and that you care about more than just making money. People will start to talk about your business because they’ll see that you’re doing good things for the world.

The ways to contribute are endless, so you can find what works best for you. For example, try volunteering your time at a nonprofit, offering your services for an event, or donating money or products to a fundraiser to get your name in people’s minds.

No matter what you do, make sure it’s important to you and that you believe in the cause. That way, you can talk about it with pride and conviction.

Thank Your Customers

Thanking your customers is a great way to encourage word-of-mouth marketing. When customers feel appreciated, they are more likely to talk about their great experience with your company to their friends and family. It doesn’t have to be a big grand gesture. Something as simple as a handwritten thank you note or an email can be enough to show your appreciation and make them feel special.

Ready to Get Your Customers Talking?

Word of mouth marketing is one of the oldest and most effective forms of marketing, and there’s a reason for that. It’s an organic way to spread the word about your company and can result in increased massive traffic and sales. Use the tips above to master your word of mouth and get people saying all the right things about your business.