When word-of-mouth marketing is true and authentic, it's worth everything. I love seeing groundswells of public support and excitement when certain products come out. It says to me that the product must be innovative, work great, meet a need, look good, be targeted to the right people, send a great message, etc., etc. I don't buzz unless I come across something I really want to share with others. So here goes ...
Last week I was at Best Buy in the music section and this guy came up to me and asked me if he could help. I said I was just looking, but he was nicely persistent. He asked what kind of music I was into, and I said neo-soul. So he went and got me a CD by a group called Kindred and said he had heard great things about it and thought I would like it. I decided to buy it without even listening to it in the store, because he was so convincing. Guess what? I love it. (Thanks Nicely Persistent Best Buy Guy!) This husband-and-wife duo is funky good. And what was even cooler was the little letter to me inside the CD from the record company, Hidden Beach:
Dear Music Lover With Discriminating Taste,
Thank you very much for purchasing this special body of work. At Hidden Beach we are committed to a mission of presenting the best of the best in recorded talent who are capable of capturing honest emotion. [I love that!] Your support of this mission by purchasing this album is greatly appreciated by all.
We sincerely believe word of mouth is the most powerful marketing tool, and our small band of warriors fighting for the highest quality entertainment truly depend on you to help spread the word about important music and words, such as those presented by Kindred on this disc. Accordingly, if you enjoy what you hear inside, please please please tell EVERYBODY!!!
They go on to recommend some of their other artists, like Jill Scott, and welcome you to join their community at www.hiddenbeach.com. Check out their "What We Believe" statement in the company profile section. Companies that have such an approach toward quality and passion and the art of what they do are companies that I will trumpet from the highest mountain. So check out Kindred, and check out Hidden Beach.
Word of mouth advertising. I find this term to be a misleading termeven though I use it on a daily basis. When one hears the word advertising, one assumes that it is being paid for. Word of mouth advertising is authentic,honest communication that is a BYPRODUCT of good marketing campaings and quality products. WOM can't be paid for. Paid WOM is not authentic. I wish someone would tell the folks at BZZAgent that,a nd theri clients. Everytime they pay someone for their version of WOM marketing, they are putting that brand at risk. What they do is selling, not advertising. It is deceptive, and it puts people on the defensive. The companies taking part in this type of paid WOM will suffer. Each day.their brands lose their authenticity and luster
Posted by: erik hauser | February 06, 2005 at 04:50 PM