What is Word of Mouth Marketing?
The second most common way that people find new websites is word of mouth. Search engines are the number one way. Word of mouth can be generated from message board postings by virtual strangers or by e-mailing friends. Effective word of mouth is known as “viral marketing” and is one of the biggest success stories on the Internet.
Viral marketing works in much the same way urban legends and funny jokes on the Internet work as they are forwarded all around the world. Viral marketing takes advantage of the socialization needs of society. No matter how small the social network starts out as, effective viral marketing can turn a small unknown company into one that is known everywhere in the online world. Some of the biggest companies on the Internet rely on viral marketing to stay successful. You can set up an effective e-mail marketing strategy without a big budget or a lot of technology. All you need to do is set up an e-mail signature that has a marketing message within it. This marketing message will be attached to any e-mail that your company sends. Messages are easily set up through Outlook and other e-mail programs.
You can take the concept of e-mail messages one step further by attaching your marketing message to all mail that is outgoing. This is done through a simple process known as “mail rerouting”. When you use this process you can track the results as well as know for sure that every outgoing message will look and feel the same no matter whether you or your employees send the mail.
Something for Free:
Everyone wants to get something that is free. When you offer something that is free the word will spread very quickly. And free offers will bring traffic to your website. However, most small online businesses can’t afford to give away much for free. What you can do is become creative and offer a free product for the first 20 people who buy another product from your website. This can be as simple as movie tickets.
Message Boards and Chatrooms:
Message boards and chatrooms are great places for word of mouth and viral marketing to flourish. This is particularly true for those people who are 25 years of age and younger. In chatrooms people share ideas and concepts and this can lead to some great leads for your business.
E-mail makes it easy for people to share ideas and concepts with others anywhere in the world. If you can attach your marketing message to these infectious e-mails you’ll be able to create a buzz and stir about your product or service. When potential customers recognize your logo or company name you’re on your way to gaining trust, credibility, and the close of a sale.
Domain Names:
One last thing to remember when you’re trying to spread information about your company is the effectiveness of a memorable domain name. You want to pick a domain name that is easy to remember, easy to spell, and that relates to what you’re selling. When people easily find your website you’ll want to make sure that your home page content is dynamic so they keep returning.
