DISQUS

Vicky H · 1 year ago

I think if your depending on WOM marketing than your product better be good. It raises the bar. It is a hard way to promote, but so economical that for the best products it works.

If your product or service is mediocre, it won't work. So I think it's fabulous!

Vicky H

Stephen Hopson · 1 year ago

Chris:

I'm very conscious of the power of word of mouth. I also don't think there's anything wrong w/ asking people to evaulate your products, services or your book and the like in hopes that they will tell others and cause a ripple effect.

But I'm not too keen on deliberate, manipulative word of mouth kind of plcmnt. I think people can smell it a mile away. I don't know. What do you think?

Douglas Karr · 1 year ago

I was just writing about this this morning on my blog. I believe every company should take WOM into consideration when discussion how it does business. Having something 'remarkable' about your product or business can exceed the ROI on any marketing campaign!

Ari Herzog · 1 year ago

There is a difference between asking someone to evaluate a product or flat-out giving someone a product to evaluate.

I question whether the Nikon camera, for instance, that supposedly Nikon loaned you occurred after an initial ask or if you merely received it with a note.

Newspaper travel sections, for instance, typically comprise stories written by staffers or freelancers who either pitch or are assigned the content therein.

Sometimes, writers are approached by travel agencies or hotels or the like with freebies or press junket tours in exchange for criticism in the form of published reviews. This practice, however "word of mouth marketing" it may be, is frowned upon by many newspaper and magazine editors as breaking ethical standards in accurate reporting.

Does this help answer your question?

@Stephen · 1 year ago

Have you read Groundwell? They talk about the effect of WOM from people that are raving fans and how they can make or break a brand. To use myself as an example, if you send me a notebook system, a book on Productivity, or the like I will be happy to review it and evangelize it. I always make sure to note that the subject of the review was a promo copy if it is.

chrisbrogan · 1 year ago

@Ari - to answer your question, I was approached by a marketing company working with NikonUSA, but hadn't asked them for the camera or any such. The only product I've begged for (and didn't receive from the company) was a Nokia N95.

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts.

Chetz · 1 year ago

I've just read The Tipping Point... the part about word of mouth. It says that not everybody has the gift to spread messages or news about something. So if we want to ask someone to evaluate our products or services, we might need to see whether they have the ability to spead the words.

Chetz Yusof
www.ChetzTV.com
- Win The Battle -

Melissa · 1 year ago

While I do agree that it can be effective, I've worked at a magazine or two that did tech and / or outdoor product reviews. We literally got TONS of stuff from random companies that we'd never, ever cover. I have a $40 t-shirt that they somehow expected us to promote in our travel & luxury focused publication. Sending out a pile of product to every person whose contact info you can find is counterproductive; without targeting the right people, those products are going to go into the hands of editors and interns who won't write about it in the way you want them too. While blogging is indeed different, I imagine the product spam still taking place. Not that I'm complaining--a vineyard can send me all the free wine they want, just don't expect me to write about it.

Ryan · 1 year ago

Reminds of Gladwell's Tipping Point...if the right product gets into the right hands it spreads.