Product, service and a pleasant customer experience will encourage customers to do word of mouth automatically. However, it does not mean that the companies can not promote this word of mouth.
Here are five steps you can do to stimulate WOM, as written in the Duct Tape Marketing:
1. Ask Them
Ask the customer about the relationship between your product / service with them: what products that they bought, the motivations, and what they recommend to their friends about you. In addition, also ask this through social media such as chat rooms, Twitter and blogs. Thus, you will understand that the main value in the eyes of customers about the product / service.
2. Teach Them
Customers also need to be stimulated to write, and may need more assistance for stringing words. So, you may be able to teach customers how to write a review, and explains the uniqueness of your company.
3. Include Them
People usually like if they are included with their favorite product / service. You can ask for an advice to a group of subscribers associated with a number of initiatives and measures marketing. This would provide a sense of belonging of the customer to the company, so they automatically become advocate.
4. Star Them
Customers usually have a unique experience or testimonials about your product. You can use it in a way to record it via video, for example by conducting interviews with relevant customer experience. This is an original that valuable experience. Or hold customer gathering where customers can share with each other about their experiences with your brand.
5. Surprise Them
Finally, give a surprise to the customer. This surprise can be anything, a service that they did not expect, until the recovery is far exceeding expectations. The point is that you give customers an unforgettable experience, and encourage them to talk about it. An example is the customer who sent a new shoe was not until 24 hours after he was called up to the store because he’d ordered online shoe is too small.
6. Reward Them
When customers make the word of mouth that results satisfy you, then give your appreciation to them. In addition, the rewards can also be held as a trigger, such as conducting contests. The contest is now emerging to ask the customers to write their experiences with a product, and the company provides a number of prizes for the best experience.