The power of personal recommendations
I recently travelled to Thailand for a holiday. This wasn’t my first, second, or even third time holidaying there. As a cold-blooded creature of habit and lover of all things familiar, one last hurrah before winter, and traipsing along the beaches of Koh Samui and Koh Tao is exactly what I needed. While waiting to disembark the plane in Singapore, I got talking to the woman in front of me. It was the typical where-are-you-going conversation, which ended with a couple of recommendations:
- “You have to go snorkelling at Aow Leuk Bay, it’s the best snorkelling I’ve ever seen, and I’ve snorkelled everywhere”
- “If you want a Michelin-star dining experience, you must try The Gallery Restaurant”
While snorkelling in Aow Leuk Bay is certainly beautiful, it’s no Fiji. However, I took her advice and looked up The Gallery Restaurant. Being open for three nights during the week, only serving a 10-course “Trust the Chef” menu, and easily the most expensive restaurant on Koh Tao, I took the plunge and booked.
The verdict? The entire experience was delightful and worth every Baht. Each dish was introduced by British expat Chris. He explained the history, region and ingredients of the dish, as well as the health benefits of each ingredient. His talented wife Chayaphon is the chef behind the food – and let me tell you, as the woman on the plane told me – if you want a Michelin-star dining experience, you must try The Gallery Restaurant. It’s one of the few places I’ve actually left a review for: on Google, Tripadvisor, and Facebook. It’s so good I’m now sharing it with all of you (and still dreaming of those dishes)
With the daily bombardment of digital ads and social media vying for attention, it’s easy to overlook one of the most powerful forms of marketing in your strategy- word of mouth.
Word of mouth is a personal recommendation that increases trust and is the social proof that what you do is worth it (whatever “it” happens to be for you: time, money, etc.). It’s an invaluable form of marketing for business, but it’s also one of the hardest to generate, track and measure.
Human connection is critical to generating word of mouth
Threesides believes that fostering genuine human connection is an important part of building loyalty and trust. One of our values is: we value connection. The human element is the heart of every business, and is at the heart of recommendations generated through word of mouth, whether in person or online. Recommendations have a level of authenticity and reliability that paid ads just can’t match.
What makes word of mouth so powerful?
Word of mouth is the art of your last customer influencing your next. People are more likely to buy based on a recommendation from someone they know. It creates a ripple effect. I might just be the first person that lady mentioned The Gallery Restaurant to, or perhaps I’m the fifth, or tenth.
Word of mouth doesn’t just happen in person, it’s amplified online. That lady might have also left a review also, one of 665+ people who’ve left a Google Review, culminating in a 4.8-star average rating.
This kind of organic reach is invaluable and cost-effective. But it’s also hard to control and influence.
How can you increase word of mouth for your business?
There are some simple ways in which you can increase word of mouth for your business. I’ve outlined the top 5:
1. Deliver an excellent customer experience
At the very core of a customer spreading the word is a memorable experience – and in this case, hopefully a good one. To inspire customers to talk about your business positively, you need to go above and beyond expectations, to surprise and delight.
While that may sometimes seem outside the realm of possibility for your business or product, I’ll put it simply: deliver a good product or service, make it easy for people to engage and buy from you, and provide excellent customer service. It may seem simple, but it definitely surprises and delights you when an online retailer’s returns process is easy and simple to use.
2. Create shareable moments in your community
You can increase word of mouth through a personalised touch in your communication or an unexpected value-add; small gestures can leave a lasting impact. It’s about creating moments that are memorable enough for people to want to share. A hospitality company might give away a freebie but ask the recipient to share the gift online. This can also fall into user-generated content (UGC), as an effective way to expand your reach.
Encourage customers to share photos, videos, or reviews about their experience. Feature their content in your own content, thanking them for their purchase. UGC builds social proof and helps foster a sense of community around your brand.
3. Incentivise customer referrals
Develop and implement a referral program as a simple way to increase word of mouth. You could offer rewards for customers who refer family and friends. It doesn’t always have to be a monetary incentive – you could offer exclusive access to a new product release for instance. However, the more enticing your “offer”, the more likely your customers will be to make a referral.
4. Use case studies and testimonials
Customer testimonials are a powerful way to amplify word of mouth. Showcase stories of customers who have had great experiences with your product or service. If your budget allows, capture these testimonials on video as a more engaging format and use them across your website, social media, digital advertising, and email campaigns.
Case studies go a step further, detailing specific results customers have achieved with your product or service. This type of content builds credibility and demonstrates the real-world value of what you offer.
5. Just ask
One of the easiest ways to get reviews is to ask. At the end of a purchase, it can be as simple as saying: can you please share your experience on Google? Positive reviews can help drive new business and build your brand’s reputation. And, as a subset of this, incentivise staff to ask for referrals. If your team is competitive, it might be as easy as setting a goal for each of them. When it comes to asking for Google reviews, we suggest “the ask” should be woven into every transaction, whether automated or humanised.
Word of mouth is more than a tactic
Treat your approach to word of mouth as a mindset rather than a tactic. By focusing on building authentic relationships and creating meaningful experiences, you can cultivate a network of loyal customers who are eager to share their experiences. Over time, you’ll create a powerful, self-sustaining word of mouth strategy that drives growth and fosters long-term success.
Final word: Give customers a reason to share their experience, and don’t forget to ask.
Additional last word: If you’re ever in Koh Tao, book into The Gallery Restaurant. It really was outstanding.