The Value of Word of Mouth Advertising

While word of mouth of advertising is undoubtedly the oldest and simplest form of advertising, it's rarely the focus of an advertising campaign. This is because it is impossible to control or predict what people will talk about. As a result advertising firms tend to focus on print media, radio, television, etc.

However the emergence of social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube means that focus is returning to word of mouth advertising.

Earlier generations may have been shy and unaccustomed to giving their opinion of a consumer product. But all that's changed, and the social media generation is extremely vocal about what it wants and what it doesn't. This change in attitude and the technological advances which prompted it, have lead to a re-evaluation of word of mouth advertising.

Modern customers when making a purchase are now more likely to log on and check public opinion than discuss their options with a salesperson. This is the essence of word of mouth advertising, and the sheer mass of public opinion being consulted creates both opportunities and pitfalls for companies trying to sell a product.
What follows are some ideas to help you capitalize on the power of word of mouth advertising.

When seeking to capitalize on word of mouth advertising it is important to show confidence in your product. Social media puts sellers in direct contact with their customers; this leaves a much more profound impression than reading about some faceless corporation in a magazine.

Spend time using social media to find out what people are talking about and where they are doing it. In other words use word of mouth advertising as a tool for research and plan your approach accordingly.

The key to word of mouth advertising is giving people something to talk about. While a person might be delighted with the performance of their new refrigerator they may never actually talk about it. If a company is seen to have a positive influence on a community, or indeed the world, this will create word of mouth advertising.

Ultimately the importance of word of mouth advertising lies in its double edged nature, if you ignore it you may soon find yourself attracting the wrong kind.

Articles Source:http://business.ezinemark.com/the-value-of-word-of-mouth-advertising-171e89ed4fb.html

Author: Eric Baum