The New “Tools” of Word-of-Mouth Marketing
By 
Walt Goshert on Feb 7, 2008 in Referral Marketing
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Image via WikipediaAs a local small business owner, you’ve heard lots of buzz about The Internet…
Gotta have a Website…
Gotta get search engine rankings so people can find you when they search…
You can buy search with Pay-Per-Click…
Get all your clients’ email addresses and start an email newsletter…
Get on MySpace and Facebook… Those social sites aren’t just a bunch of kids hanging out anymore…
Write a blog…
Promote your blog on the social marketing sites…
Whoa… Whoa… WHOA!!!
Time out there marketing geek!
I’m a ___________ (plumber, CPA, hair stylist, architect… insert your business)…
I’m too busy for all that slick online stuff!
Ok… but how about your prospects and clients?
Are they online?
Are they reading blogs?
Are they on social networking sites talking and sharing their opinions with other like-minded people?
Hummm… are they possibly on these social sites talking about you?
Now, you’ve no doubt, enjoyed “referral rewards” from your clients talking about you, spreading word-of-mouth about your quality products/services and that “extraordinary” experience you deliver. Most local small business live…or die… from referral marketing.
But, how do you bridge that gap from folks talking about you in the real world into the online social marketing world?
How ’bout…
A Business Blog.
Yep… a blog. Like… you’re reading right here.
But here’s the thing.
Your business blog ain’t about you.
It’s about your readers, your prospects, your clients.
How do you know what information your readers want from your blog?
Simple.
Michael Werner just posted this Four Step Formula at the lively discussion where small business marketing pros are sharing their marketing secrets: Small Business Trends:
1. Ask your clients what they want.
2. Listen.
3. Listen again, and harder this time, to what they say.
4. Give ‘em what they ask for.
Oh, yeah… one final thing:
“Have a take… and don’t suck!”
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8 Comment(s)
By
Zack
(Check me out!) on Feb 8, 2008 | Reply
Walt, this is exactly what I hear from my clients. Nail on the head you have hit it. I was glad to see this post. I really believe the business blog is the right thing for almost any business. Great reference at the remarkablogger, too; thanks for that!
By
Walt Goshert
(Check me out!) on Feb 9, 2008 | Reply
You’re right, Zack.
Blogs are a good fit for nearly every business, yet lots of small businesses are slow to jump into blogging, or as we’ve seen with larger corporations, their blogging efforts are all wrong.
For businesses to really use blogs effectively, it’s gonna require a change in thinking.
Michael over at Remarkableblogger talks quite a bit about the thought, the strategy, that needs to take place in a business.
By
Joe Justin
(Check me out!) on Feb 12, 2008 | Reply
Walt,Great article and thank you for the rebuttal. I hear this excuse every day. This is a not only a great way to sell your services but it is also true! BTW, I also like your Giant banner for the SocialAuthority site. Best Regards,Joe Justin
By
Walt Goshert
(Check me out!) on Feb 12, 2008 | Reply
Thanks Joe,
All small business owners are busy. We need to make it as simple and easy as possible to use these social marketing tools to help them build their businesses.
Often, businesses need to walk before they’re ready to run with all this on-line marketing stuff.
Walt
By
Ted Prodromou
(Check me out!) on Feb 25, 2008 | Reply
Small business owners think they have to do it all by themselves and adding technology to the mix totally overwhelms them. I’ve seem so many of my intelligent clients lose 50 IQ points when I talk about technology and websites. It scares the hell out of them. I wish they could understand the power of the internet and the value of spending 30 minutes a day updating their website or blog.
By
Mark McCullagh
(Check me out!) on Feb 25, 2008 | Reply
It’s so easy to get overwhelmed these days with internet marketing. Never before has the KISS principle been so appropriate. Now I gotta take my own advice!
By
Walt Goshert
(Check me out!) on Feb 25, 2008 | Reply
Thanks Ted and Mark,
Yeah… it is overwhelming for lots of small businesses.
Stick to “Amish” marketing…
Or..
Get out of your marketing “comfort zone”,plug in and communicate with electricity.
Walt
By
Alaa Maanawi
(Check me out!) on Feb 26, 2008 | Reply
the best way to move word of mouth marketing is to make your services come with unique features even for one day a week if you discount your prices you will have all town talk about you pla pla,