Being great at word of mouth requires knowing what really drives people to talk, and an important lesson is that word of mouth is much more emotional than most marketers realize.
Behind all the opinions, the recommendations, and the reviews are a few core personal motivators that — once you understand them — can start to build your topics around.
Why people talk:
- The “you” reason. This is first and foremost. People talk because you’re creating or doing something worth talking about. Word of mouth only works for great products and great services sold by great people — don’t worry about anything else until you’ve taken care of this.
- The “me” reason. People talk when it makes them feel smart, important, or helpful. When we share recommendations about brands and products, there’s a lot of emotion behind it.
- The “us” reason. This one is all about feeling connected. It’s one of the most powerful human emotions, and whenever you can help your fans better organize themselves, you’re rewarded with real, sustainable word of mouth.