| About the book |
The first edition of The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing provided readers with step-by-step guidance for constructing a word-of-mouth marketing campaign that would penetrate successive audience tiers and build sales exponentially. Extensively revised to reflect the profound changes in the marketplace, from new attitudes and communication methods, to new ways of relating to increasingly wary Web 2.0 customers, the second edition of this groundbreaking book shows readers how they can move beyond traditional approaches to inspire the kind of word of mouth that catches fire and generates revenue. Featuring enlightening case studies and examples, as well as an updated version of the author's innovative Decision Matrix for identifying potential buyers and deter mining and crafting the right kind of message, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing simplifies the process of choosing the delivery method, harnessing the power of influencers, and measuring results. From how to navigate the latest digital media to what Malcolm Gladwell got wrong, this is still the last word on word of mouth. |
| About the author |
George Silverman (Nanuet, NY), an acknowledged expert in word-of-mouth marketing, has been designing successful campaigns since 1971. He is founder and CEO of Market Navigation, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in simplifying customers' decision steps through word of mouth. |
| Table of contents |
C O N T E N T S
Acknowledgments ix Prologue: The Calf-Path xiii Introduction 1 Why Th is Book—and Word-of-Mouth Marketing Today—Is Diff erent • Secrets • “Let’s Go Up a Level of Abstraction” • Stupid Questions • Customer = Prospect unless Customer ≠ Prospect • “Buy” = “Buy into” = “Adopt” = “Believe,” Also, “Sell” = “Convince” = “Persuade” • Product = Service = Idea = Methodology • Word-of-Mouth Marketing Is NOT Word-of-Mouth Advertising CHAPTER 1 The Systematic Approach to Word of Mouth 7 Th e Digital-Information-Knowledge-Transportation-Communications- Internet-Marketing-Word-of-Mouth Revolutions • Th e Dot-Com Super Bowl • Th e New Media • Th e New Challenges of Marketing • Th is Book Has a New Purpose—Our Goals Have Changed • A Trip into a New Way of Th inking CHAPTER 2 Dominating Your Market by Easifying the Customer Decision Cycle 27 Th e Function of Word of Mouth • What Is Marketing' • Decision Speed • Your Decision Easifi cation System • How to Do It • Cut Decision Time in Half CHAPTER 3 How to Use Word of Mouth to Easify the Decision Process 51 Property 1. Word of Mouth’s Megapower • Property 2. Th e Speed of Word of Mouth • Property 3. Independent Credibility • Property 4. Th e Hidden Advantage of Word of Mouth: Experience Delivery • Property 5. Word of Mouth Is More Relevant and Complete • Property 6. Word of Mouth Feeds on Itself • Property 7. Word of Mouth Itself Becomes One of the Product’s Attributes CHAPTER 4 The Decision Process 79 Th e Decision Process—Overview • Th e Adopter Types: How Word of Mouth Works for Diff erent Types of Decision Makers • Decision Styles—Putting Together the Adopter Types With the Decision Stages • Th e Decision Matrix CHAPTER 5 Six Ms to Live By 105 Th e Six Ms • Give Th em Something to Talk About • So, the Form Is Stories. What’s the Content' CHAPTER 6 The 2nd M: The Mavens 123 Delivering the Message • Th e Controversy: Infl uencers Versus Peers • Sources of Word of Mouth • Expert-to-Expert Word of Mouth • Expert-to-Peer and Peer-to-Peer Word of Mouth • Th e Catch-22 of Marketing • Delivery of Word of Mouth • Th e Care and Feeding of Champions CHAPTER 7 The 3rd M: Motivation 141 Beware of a Trap: Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Word of Mouth • Th e Secret Exception • Another Trap CHAPTER 8 The 4th M: Means or Media 145 Additional Ideas • Search Engine Optimization • Getting Involved CHAPTER 9 The 5th M: Measurement 155 Th e Problem • Th e Diff erence Between Measurement and Research • How to Research Word of Mouth • Other Research Designs CHAPTER 10 The 6th M: Multiplication 161 What Is Trust' • Further Secrets of Trust CHAPTER 11 (Almost) Everything I Learned About Marketing, I Learned in My Father’s Drugstore. Let Me Share It With You. 165 Key Secrets from My Father’s Example • More Secrets from My Father’s Example CHAPTER 12 Constructing the Ultimate Word-of-Mouth Campaign 173 Th e First Word-of-Mouth Programs • How I First Harnessed Word of Mouth • Success Stories of Word-of-Mouth Sessions • Making Word of Mouth More Valuable • Situations Th at Benefi t from Word-of-Mouth Programs, Events, and Sites • Products With Which You Should Avoid Word-of-Mouth Events CHAPTER 13 Six Steps to Harnessing Word of Mouth 189 Constructing Your Word-of-Mouth Campaign • An Example of the Six-Step Process • Th e Process in Detail • Product Seeding • Very Expensive Products • Internal Word of Mouth • Word-of-Mouth Campaigns With High-Ticket, Professional Products CHAPTER 14 Which Methods Work Best for What' A Word-of-Mouth Checklist 207 Sources and Delivery Mechanisms • Word-of-Mouth Checklist viii Contents CHAPTER 15 Word-of-Mouth Marketing for Specifi c Audiences and Circumstances 213 How to Develop a WOMworthy Diff erentiation in a Practice or Profession • Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing for Specifi c, Special, or Narrower Circumstances • Additional Tips, Techniques, and Suggestions CHAPTER 16 Tips, Techniques, and Suggestions That Will Make It Easier 231 Who Can Help You Construct Word-of-Mouth Campaigns' • Wordof- Mouth Fraud and Other Shady Practices
Epilogue: Let’s Talk 235 Bibliography 237 Recommended Reading 239 Appendix 243 Index 251 |
