3 Marketing Methods as Powerful as Word-of-Mouth [Infographic]

I complimented my daughter's teacher on a pair of pants she was wearing. She, of course, said “thanks,” but then went on to do something most people tend to do - she told me where she bought them as well as the incredible deal she got them for. That afternoon, I went online and bought two pairs. 

This type of exchange, known as word-of-mouth marketing, is more impactful than the most brilliant ad campaign and comes at a cost of zero dollars. Does it sound too good to be true? That’s because it is. The downside to word-of-mouth is that it is wholly organic. These exchanges can’t be bought, they just happen. 

On the bright side, for marketers looking to replicate the impact of word-of-mouth, there are 3 strategies that come pretty close. Influencer and affiliate marketing as well as customer reviews hold the power to sway shoppers in their purchasing decisions. The best part? Marketers wielding one or all of these 3 methods retain control over the way in which these strategies are implemented.

In this infographic, learn more about influencer marketing and affiliate marketing, as well as utilizing customer reviews to mimic the impact of word-of-mouth exchanges and ultimately boost sales for your brand. 

Influencer Marketing 

Influencer Marketing is when brands pay celebrities or creators with a strong social media following for product placements or endorsements. Although a paid celebrity may not be the same as a friend or acquaintance raving about a product they love, 92% of marketers believe this form of marketing is an effective way to boost sales. 

If you’re looking to jump on the influencer bandwagon here are a few tips to get started: 

• Find influencers who align with your brand. For example, a company selling gear to outdoor adventure seekers wouldn’t want to hire an influencer who’s known for their fashion critiques or reviews on the best brunch spots. 

• Give the influencer a unique offer code or link to share with fans. This will allow you to track the ROI of your marketing investment. 

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is when an affiliate or partner of your business earns commissions based on sign-ups or sales they are able to generate for your business. If you’re looking for an impactful way to attract new customers, this is it. 43% of marketers say affiliate marketing helps them close new sales. 

Looking to start an affiliate marketing program? Here are a few quick tips: 

• Offer resources to your affiliates to help them make more sales. If a new tutorial video, landing page, or guide will help your partners be successful, make it happen. Just as you would arm your employees with the tools they need to be successful, so too should you give your affiliates what they need as well. 

• Encourage relationships with affiliates who genuinely believe in your brand. Try to sniff out those who are only looking to grab a few commissions vs. those who have been long-time loyal patrons. 

Customer Reviews

Customer reviews are collected when customers rate and evaluate their experience using or interacting with your company’s products or services. In this digital age, customer reviews are essential in staying ahead of the competition since 77% of consumers see customer reviews as the deciding factor in their product purchasing decisions. 

If you’re new to collecting customer reviews, here are a few quick tips: 

• The secret to collecting lots of customer reviews is simply to ask for them. And the perfect time to ask for a review is in your follow-up marketing, after a purchase has been made, or a service has been rendered. While the purchase is fresh in their mind, send a follow-up email to check in and ask about their experience. 

• When you’ve collected a few really great reviews, or have a nice gallery, display them on your website, or wherever you tend to get a lot of online traffic. 

Ready to get started? 

Implementing influencer or affiliate marketing and collecting online reviews is easier to dive into than you think. For influencer marketing, check out captiv8 to discover and research the micro influencers who are already following you. To start your affiliate marketing program, give PartnerStack a try. To start collecting online reviews, build a page and display reviews using ShortStack’s Testimonial template.