Mouthing Off: Customer Evangelism Takes on New Media

From the Editors of PR News

Here is your reality as a communications professional: the swell of new media platforms has shifted control from the hands of the corporate executive to those of their once-passive stakeholders. An organization’s reputation is open to the commentary of anyone and everyone in cyberspace, and the messages that the communications team creates are sent out into the world to live on forever. Scary huh?

This reality brings all new meaning to the concept of word-of-mouth marketing, as this now encompasses conversations that take place online. Consider it “word-of-mouse” marketing, as dubbed by author Ann Videan. This evolution requires communications executives to implement more advanced strategies in using and tracking the benefits of WOM, while protecting against the inherent dangers. After all, according to Jackie Huba of Creating Customer Evangelists, “customer evangelists,” help:

• Spread news
• Recruit new customers
• Improve your communications approach
• Defend you against criticism
• Support you

When outlining a strategy for enhancing your company’s word-of-mouth marketing and creating customer evangelists, first consider this preliminary approach:

Create and Maintain Customer Evangelists
Videan emphasizes the importance of finding out who is already talking about your product/service, and then delivering information in their preferred method of receipt. Systematically feed them valuable information that they will turn around and disseminate through their own network. If possible, let your greatest evangelists try out your product or service so they can spread the word as informed users. 

Identify Influencers in Your Market
Ask your customers the following questions:

• Who do you respect in your industry?
• Where do you get industry information?
• What associations do you belong to?

Then search the Web with these questions in mind to identify key industry people:

• Who is quoted in online articles?
• Who’s blogging in your industry?
• Who can give you the best feedback on your product/service?

The answer to these questions, coupled with research on who and what the prominent media outlets in your industry cover, will form your target audience for WOM outreach.

The Digital Stratosphere
But what about the digital stratosphere of influence? That is where things really get crazy with blog posts, tweets and YouTube videos flying from user to user. Forget about ever harnessing the level of control (you thought) you once had; rather consider this strategic approach and create the following:

• Digital user profile; What devices and digital services are they using?
• Influencer audit: Who are the influencers for a product?
• Conversation map: What are they saying about a topic?
• Multimedia visibility: How do we help them find our video, audio, and pictures, and offer them an emotional connection?
• Engagement strategy: How do we put this all together and set the big idea into action?

Word-of-mouth (or “mouse”) marketing is a reality that must be embraced rather than avoided. After all, as so eloquently stated by Cone Executive Vice President Mike Lawrence, “The secret sauce is to lose control.”