5 Tips from Ground Force Network's Bob Hutchins

Word of mouth marketing is the pinnacle of what most marketing people are trying to do, and should be the foundation of advertising in general. "Going back thousands of years, word of mouth is the first marketing anyone ever did, and the purpose of all marketing, whether you're talking radio, TV, print, is to drive word of mouth," says Bob Hutchins, General Partner for Ground Force Network.

Here are Bob's five tips on building successful buzz campaigns:

Tip #1. Build upon an existing group of passionate people
You have to start with a solid foundation and/or a great product for word of mouth to catch on. Thus, WOM campaigns are always more successful when you start with a small group of people who are already passionate about the product/project and build upon that. That way, you are focusing on enhancing what they naturally believe -- and their passion naturally rubs off on their sphere of influence when you provide them with the right tools, information, and incentives.

Tip #2. Strive for personal interaction
Make each member feel special and appreciated on a daily basis. When they feel like they are a part of something important and on the "inside," their desire to tell others is much more powerful and genuine.

Tip #3. Create a central landing place
Web sites are perfect for this. Give people a one-stop shop for everything they'll need to know in order to go out and be successful in spreading the word.

Tip #4. Offer tools
Build user-friendly tools that make sharing their passion about a product/project simple and easy. It makes spreading the word so much easier and less intimidating, and these tools also are extremely important for new people to learn about the product/project and spread the word too. The right tools, such as an effective ecard, are key to building your campaign.

Tip #5. Have integrity
Don't try to make the campaign something it's not. If there's a delay in something, be upfront with your team of supporters. They'll appreciate honesty more than a vague answer, and they'll like being in the "loop." When your team of supporters trusts your judgment and how you work, they're even more likely to want to share the news about your current and future campaigns.

More about Bob:

Web site

Read Bob's WOMBAT presentation (PDF download)