Think about the last time you purchased something new. Was it a household item? Perhaps it was the latest piece of technology or maybe a new clothing brand? Whatever it was, think about what influenced that purchase decision. Did you see a deal online or were you influenced by someone you know? Well, today we’re talking about the latter. That’s right, we are sharing the importance of word-of-mouth marketing and how to harness word-of-mouth using brand ambassadors.

The Important of Word-of-Mouth Marketing

As we’ve entered into a digital age, more information is shared than ever before. Online, we have the world at our fingertips. However, we must remember, just like in nature, everything comes with balance. For instance, having direct access to our friends, family, popular culture or new goods or services come with its own set of conditions. Take for example paid online advertising. We see ads on our apps, commercials during television shows and even digital billboards on our commutes to work. While we have more access than ever before, we’re often paying the price with our time in order to access these “free” services. It’s no wonder that digital fatigue is setting in, and that trust in paid online advertising is on the decline.

So, if paid advertising is on the decline in our digital society, how do brands connect with consumers and sell new products? Well, word-of-mouth marketing remains one of the best strategies to do this!

The strategies and tone we use to advertise are vastly different than they once were and that’s because both technology and audiences have changed. What was relevant 50 years, 20 years, even 5 years ago is completely different than it is today. That’s why word-of-mouth marketing is critical. Today’s society wants to buy from brands that they have confidence in. The best way to harness word-of-mouth marketing is by using it to build trust with consumers. Moreover, brand ambassadors are a great way to achieve this!

Consumer Trust

Consumer trust placed on reviews carries more weight than ever before. This is why being able to physically connect with a human is so powerful. Brand Ambassadors, who are trained to bring your brand to life, go a long way in building rapport and easing purchase anxiety. In addition, the methods that brand ambassadors employ, such as samplings or demos, are a great tactic to build added trust as well. Consumers want to know more about brands and their values than ever before. This includes ingredients and manufacturing processes too. Big brands are especially under the microscope!

Consumers want to feel heard, and that their buying power means something. Long gone are the days of brands with just logos and no face to the name.

Sampling Campaigns

Take for example, holiday sampling campaigns.  Holiday sampling campaigns are tremendously successful because they use real people. Add to that a creative idea or eye-catching display and you’ve got a compelling, engaging experience. Whether it be a product demonstration or sampling hot chocolate, these programs work because they are able to differentiate themselves from the competition and break through the noise of commonplace holiday marketing tactics. The reason this works so well is they motivate consumers to become sales and awareness ambassadors for your product.   Add in a call to action like a QR code or social media share and you’re able to immediately capitalize on your market share.

Brand Awareness

From influencer programs to referral campaigns to affiliate marketing, word-of-mouth marketing builds brand awareness and positions your brand as your customer’s best option. The most important part of word-of-mouth marketing is facilitating two-way conversations with your customers. This is done best through the use of insights offered by humans of a genuine human connection personified by brand ambassadors.

At the end of the day, word-of-mouth marketing is a powerful strategy, if done correctly. We recommend taking it one step further and adding brand ambassadors into the mix. So, get out there, plan your next campaign and show us how to harness word-of-mouth. You have no idea how far you may be able to spread brand awareness. At the end of the day, if you can build trust, loyalty and create a buzz, then you’ve done it correctly!