Word of Mouth Marketing |
Feb 25, 2010 |
I was reading a book recently written by Andy Senovitz titled “Word of Mouth Marketing.” In the book Sernovitz explains and illustrates how the world’s most respected and profitable companies get their best customers for free through the power of word of mouth.
He defines word of mouth marketing as: 1. Giving people a reason to talk about your stuff, 2. Making it easier for that conversation to take place. Sernovitz says even simpler: it’s everything you can do to get people talking.
He says, “Traditional marketing is no longer the safe way to go. It may make you more comfortable, but it is becoming gradually less and less effective for more and more companies. It’s time to focus on making customers happy-earning their trust and respect and getting them talking about your stuff.”
I would agree with many aspects of what Sernovitz writes in his book, but to apply this approach to marketing in the context of Transformational Giving principles, it comes up short. He continually labels those who talk about us “as customers” (those who simply read our newsletters and send in checks), and what we are wanting them to talk about is “our stuff” (nothing that is shared).
If you are viewing your champions as customers (traditional development practice– human ATM’s) you are missing the point.
TG Principles five, six and seven state why viewing champions this way is clearly wrong. We must have a peer-level accountability relationship with our champions (TG 5), the champion is called to be the primary means of advancing the cause within their spheres of influence (TG 6), and their (the champion's) relationship with other champions is as important as the relationship between champion and the organization (TG 7).
What this means is that we are in this together to mutually see that our cause (the one God has called us to) is making impact. It is our role to help the champion to see how they can be involved by offering them opportunities to grow through PEO. And, as our champions are involved, growing, learning, sharing etc. they become passionate about what God has called us mutually to and word of mouth marketing naturally takes place.
This involvement then gives people a reason to talk about what everyone is doing, and it is easier for that conversation to take place because it has become a part of who they are.
My encouragement to you would be not to worry how to get your champions talking about your cause, but to make it a priority to take the time and review how you really are connecting with your champions and helping them to grow in relation to the cause.
As you align your priorities and put the focus on connecting and leading people (champions)...….word of mouth marketing will naturally take place, but in a way that honors God and isn’t manipulative.
