This week we’re taking a look at BtoB word of mouth marketing inspired by the new chapter in the revised edition of Andy Sernovitz’ best-seller, Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking.
You’re already doing it
Most BtoB marketers who are struggling to figure out how word of mouth can work for them are surprised to learn that they’re already doing a lot of it, but it’s often hidden inside some other sales or marketing process. If your company is doing any of the following, you’re already engaging in word of mouth marketing:
- Asking for testimonials
- Asking customers to be references
- Using case studies
- Publishing research
- Hosting user conferences
Bring it together
If the goal of a marketing program is to get a customer to talk to someone, it’s actually a word of mouth marketing program. You’ll get better results if you pull all these separate actions together and treat them as elements of a single coordinated word of mouth campaign.
Realize your customers are already doing it
As a BtoB marketer, you’re part of a small community where all the key people know each other. Your customers are already talking about you when they meet at trade shows and conferences, and they are constantly comparing notes about vendors.
Nobody spends $100,000 without checking out a company’s word of mouth reputation.
