The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing Quotes

“We need to look at what will make the message word of mouth worthy (WOMworthy). Who will transmit it through what channels and why? How will we know what will amplify the effects of the message? The Six Ms I find it helpful to think of the six Ms Message content Mavens transmitters Means via Motivation energized by Measurement results Multiplication amplification So we have a measured message spread by motivated mavens using multiplying means.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“Summary: The decision process takes place in five broad stages. Stage 1: Deciding to Decide. Going from disinterested status quo to active investigation. Becoming aware of the product category or specific product. Deciding to find out more. Stage 2: (a, b, c). Identifying, Studying, and Weighing Information. Gathering and sorting the flood of information. Stage 3: Trial. Observing the product in actual use and evaluating its performance for your situation. Stage 4: Adoption—Purchase, Implementation, and Ongoing Usage. Becoming a customer. Stage 5: Expanding Use and Recommending. Moving beyond intended use and becoming a product advocate. Teaching others. Dealing with problems.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“But this also explains why word of mouth is often negative. When people ask someone about a product, they are likely to ask, “Have you had any trouble with X?” They know that they are likely to get a straight answer from an independent source. Another reason that word of mouth is often negative is that people are three to ten times more likely to tell others about a negative experience than a positive one.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“Many studies have shown that a satisfied customer is likely to tell approximately three people about a product, whereas a dissatisfied customer is likely to tell approximately eleven people. This is often because the positive experiences are expected and soon forgotten, but the unresolved negatives get people angry and frustrated, provoking word of mouth.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“Word-of-mouth marketing is the deliberate attempt to encourage and facilitate the transmission of such third-party communication.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“These communications can be conversations or one-way testimonials. They can be live or recorded. They can be in person, by telephone, by email, on a blog, or by any other means of communication. They can be one-to-one, one-to-many (broadcast), or group discussions. But, the essential element is that they are from or among people who are perceived to have little commercial vested interest in persuading someone else to use the product—and therefore no particular incentive to distort the truth in favor of the product or service.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“Central to the concept of word of mouth is the idea that the producer of the product does not control the information, which is, accordingly, presumed to be more free of bias, more relevant, more complete, more trustworthy, and thus more accurate than commercial information. Commercial communication or advocacy, such as advertising, is, in contrast, information from a source that has a vested interest in presenting the information in a particular way. Word of mouth and traditional advertising”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“I define word of mouth as “the exchange of information about a product or service among people who are independent of the producer”.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“Stated another way, the product with the easier decision-support system often has the competitive edge, even if the product, considered apart from that system, is not superior. The fact that it’s easy to decide on becomes an actual feature of the product.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“F.W. Woolworth, the founder of the largest retail chain of its time, said, “I’m the world’s worst salesman. Therefore, I must make it easy to buy.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“Your job as a marketer is to make your product the “easiest-to-decide-on” product in its field.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“The “easy-to-decide-on” product wins because customers tend to follow the path of least resistance.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“The product that wins is not always the “best” product. It’s the product that makes the product decisions smooth, easy, fun, and fast.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“There is another thing to consider: The best product does not always win; the easiest-to-decide-on product wins. I believe that this is the biggest marketing breakthrough in the last several decades.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“In this, the Age of Overload, the service that marketing provides is to make the decision process easier for the customer, every step of the way. SECRET Your new function is decision easification, which means easing the burden of the decision process in this overloaded world.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“Focused word of mouth from the right sources in the right sequence at the right level in the right form at the right pace is going to lead them through a very easy-to-make series of decisions, without wasting time, effort, and money.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“Marketing is a service that you do for and with the customer, not to the customer. Like any service, its value is to be found at the intersection of what you can do best for the customer and what the customer needs most.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“Some of the information customers want directly from you, the marketer of the product, includes Comparison Charts, Decision Guides, Product Specs, Tutorials, Manuals, User Guides (not the same as manuals), Training Courses, identification of the most informed infomediaries, and information on finding ratings and reviews. As we’ve seen, customers don’t want certain information directly from you, particularly in areas where you are likely to be biased, don’t know local conditions, don’t know about specialized uses—in short, areas where truth and relevance are subject to interpretation and bias. So, you’ll have to point them to independent sources—in other words, word-of-mouth sources.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“You are in the perfect position to exercise the new function of marketing: making decisions easier for your customers. You know the lay of the land better than anyone else. You also have a better perspective on what it takes to find, learn about, sort out, try, buy, and use your product than anyone else. You know best how your product fits into the marketplace. In fact, you could be the best guide through the burdensome decision-making process. In this Age of Overload, that’s exactly what the customer needs. The raw information she can get elsewhere. But what information does she need, when? What’s the sequence? What are the best sources of information from a customer’s point of view?”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“Realize that your product is a valuable gift to your customers and that you are providing the noble service of helping them see that value.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“Too many marketers have allowed themselves to become intimidated by those who would have us believe that marketing is disreputable, money is dirty, business is sleazy, persuasion is manipulative, and promotion is deceptive. I’m sick and tired of hearing that marketing is hype. Unfortunately, however, the disdain with which some people view marketing is understandable. There is a tremendous amount of hype and manipulation. Too many marketers still view the marketplace narcissistically, from the perspective of their own companies and products, not from that of the customer. They think they are looking from the customer’s point of view, but they are really just looking at the customer. They are like the person who looks like he is intently listening to you, but you realize he’s just waiting for an opening to make his point.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“Too many marketers have allowed themselves to become intimidated by those who would have us believe that marketing is disreputable, money is dirty, business is sleazy, persuasion is manipulative, and promotion is deceptive. I’m sick and tired of hearing that marketing is hype. Unfortunately, however, the disdain with which some people view marketing is understandable. There is a tremendous amount of hype and manipulation. Too many marketers still view the marketplace narcissistically, from the perspective of their own companies and products, not from that of the customer. They think they are looking from the customer’s point of view, but they are really just looking at the customer.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“Marketing is a noble profession. It helps people meet their needs. It introduces people to products that enhance their lives, that increase their enjoyment and well-being, that make them safer and more competent, and that save them effort. Marketing presents satisfying products in ways that excite people.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“By asking other people what their experiences were with a product and by asking them for their recommendations, we can access a vast amount of experience without having to spend time, money, or effort—or take the risks that we would by doing it on our own. So, we not only ask what product is best, but we ask, “What was your experience?” What should we watch out for and what tricks and tips should we follow? How can we best try it, fix it, and teach others to use it? Who has the best prices and delivery? Who is honest? All of this saves a tremendous amount of time. We could never function in the modern world without sharing experiences through word of mouth.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“Word of mouth is, first and foremost, an experience-delivery system.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“Word of mouth is the most effective way of making decisions easier and simpler in an overwhelmingly difficult and complex world.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“We go to known experts, trusted advisers, and knowledgeable friends to get unbiased and personally tailored recommendations. We thus avoid the work, discomfort, and information overload of making decisions that are difficult for us, but easy for them, given their knowledge and skill sets.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“Overloaded people are always on the lookout for something that will make things simpler and easier. Instead of studying all about a product and going through a difficult decision process that they may not have enough knowledge to do well, they ask someone else.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth

“Isn’t it interesting that—in the English language, at least—there’s a word for making things simple (“simplification” or “simplify”), but no word for making things easy or fun.”
― George Silverman, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word of Mouth