In days past word-of-mouth took place around the water cooler or over drinks; today it's through social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and Linked In and it happens much faster.
Word of mouth is a key element in any communications campaign - be it advertising, marketing, media, events or PR.
That's because humans by nature are social beings and we relate to personal opinion. We are taught from youth to defer to the wisdom and value of human experience: be it our own or that of others.
As such, we are more likely to listen to the recommendations of friends and colleagues than the billboard we pass every day on our way to work or a newspaper advertisement we read over coffee.
They're also the conversations we're most likely to remember when someone asks, "where shall we go out to dinner?" or "who should I go see about getting my watch fixed?"
Despite galloping technology our most effective communication tools have their roots in old fashioned story telling.
Ever since cave-man humans have shared stories. In the days before speech our ancestors did it through drawings on cave walls and theatrical reenactments around the fire.
One role of a business owner or manager is to create and share stories that build your culture and reputation through word of mouth.
We "know", in part, because we heard a story about it and through the story we develop a sense of meaning which in turn defines our reality and world picture.
Successful businesses develop a collective purpose based around a common set of beliefs and realities shaped in part of the stories its individuals hear, see and believe about the environment they work in and the behavior of its workers and management.
To establish conversations in quick time look to social media, not just face-to-face networking.
There are plenty of examples of major companies establishing internal social media structures so they can influence internal messages and conversations. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu is one such company.
Joe sees a magazine advertisement for financial planning services so he makes the phone call and enrolls in a training program.
He finds the program affordable; it works, so he tells his friends about his experience and soon his colleagues and friends make their own enquiries about the financial planning course.
Some word of mouth doesn’t lean on experience. It could be as simple as someone seeing a great advertisement and striking up a conversation the next day with a colleague about what they saw.
As a business, unless you get people talking you risk closure. The challenge is to develop messages that resonate with your target audiences and give customers the kind of experience and benefits that you want people to talk about.
We need to develop stories that markets can connect with; that stir feeling or emotion; where the benefit or experience is obvious; where the solution to a problem is compelling and where behavior is changed for the better.
The message is clear - get the people talking!
* Mike Walls is editor and publisher of Western Sydney Business Access.
