People may admire celebrities, but they listen to their friends. That’s why word of mouth marketing (WOMM) is becoming a growing trend, said Julian Aldridge, president of Ammo Marketing.
Out of any 35,000 given marketing communications people receive, they’re likely to react to only three to five of those messages. But one out of three recommendations from a friend are acted upon, noted Aldridge, speaking to the New England Mail Order Association in Cambridge, MA on Thursday.
Many companies today are actively courting consumers who qualify as “influencers” in their circle of friends. These are people who act as unpaid brand evangelists.
Of course, identifying who these influencers really are is critical, he said. Companies have to be careful when screening potential ambassadors. For example, alcohol companies might not want the guy who goes to the bar every night of the week as their ambassador. Sure, they might consume a lot of the product, but the 24/7 party animal has an image more suited to AA than a sophisticated brand, Aldridge said, noting a more discriminating drinker would be a better fit.
Good influencers are optimistic and have a passion for life, he said. They love people and have a connected social network. They’re “doers” and not just thinkers, and have an inner confidence.
Volvo ran a successful WOMM effort in the San Francisco Bay Area targeting young professionals. The goal was to get young, hip people to test drive a new Volvo sedan and show them the brand had more to offer than safe, boxy family cars.
Participants were invited to test drive the car for 10 days, and show it off to their friends. After three months, local dealers reported a 40% increase in sales, and increased traction for six months.
Network
