Marketing Tactics to Grow Your Ecommerce Business – Using Word of Mouth (WOM)
The use of marketing tactics in the ecommerce industry to generate new and better sales leads requires an authentic, consistent strategy.
Fulex Blog: WOM Marketing Tactics to Grow Your Ecommerce Business
While some business owners are opting for the latest and greatest technology and software to promote their products, don’t count out the effectiveness of good ol’ fashioned word of mouth marketing as an effective tool.
While traditional word of mouth marketing is spread based on recommendation, today’s version combines the organic circumstances of a consumer’s shared experience with brand awareness of a product or service to gain a larger following.
Also known as word of mouth advertising, this tactic can catapult ecommerce brands into long-term success when executed correctly.
Whether you develop a Facebook group, Instagram, YouTube account or podcast for your brand, it’s all in your delivery.
Did you know that the average consumer reads 10 reviews before trusting a business?
More than 90 percent of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family more than any other form of marketing to help promote their business’ brand.
Below are some simple, yet effective marketing tactics for your ecommerce business to generate social media buzz and skyrocket referral sales.
WOM MARKETING TACTICS #1
KNOW WHAT YOU STAND FOR
Did you start your business to help others, explore your personal passion or contribute an eco-friendly solution to the economy?
Revisit your business plan to center yourself. You know, it’s that thing you created that describes in detail your business’ future. In essence, it details the plan of what you want to do and pairs it with a roadmap of how you’ll get there.
If you never created a business plan no worries. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Why do you exist?
- What’s the vision and mission for your brand?
- What are your values?
- What does your product or service do?
- How will consumers benefit from purchasing your product or service?
WOM MARKETING TACTICS #2
RESEARCH YOUR COMPETITION
Always know your competition. Being aware of what your peers are doing will help you stay ahead in a competitive market. Understanding the general industry isn’t enough, you need to know what your competition is offering as a solution for consumers.
Along these things it’s good to have an idea of the following:
- What’s your competitive advantage?
- What are you better at than them?
- Does your competition have any weaknesses you can turn into opportunities
WOM MARKETING TACTICS #3
GET TO KNOW YOUR TARGET MARKET
A crucial step in launching a success word of mouth business as well as growing one, involves thoroughly understanding your target market or audience.
Think of them like a best friend. You want to know their favorite color, brands and what motivates them to make a purchase. Once you have this and other information, build your marketing strategy and services around their preferences.
Remember, the consumer knows what they want. You must provide a supply for that demand. You’re solving a problem for them by providing an answer, which in this case is a product or service for them to buy.
Taking personal care of customer issues by making them your own is the best way to provide excellent service and encourage them to recommend your ecommerce business to others.
WOM MARKETING TACTICS #4
TOUT YOUR UNIQUENESS
For your ecommerce brand to thrive among the competition there must be something special that stands out about it.
What’s unique about it that consumers will talk about with friends and loved ones?
Some brands are quirky and make repeat business off silly one-liners in ads so they become memorable. Others use moments in time to recall nostalgia for the consumer and create a sense of connection. Perhaps your product truly is one-of-a-kind.
Whatever you’re playing off of, identify what it is that makes your brand stand apart from others. The goal is for consumers to resonate with your product or service so much they are moved to share your story with others.
WOM MARKETING TACTICS #5
ENGAGE WITH SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS
Building out your brand through a close-knit social media community is crucial in successful word of mouth marketing tactics.
Assuming your brand is already establishing its presence on all the popular social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTik), you can reach out to social media influencers.
Influencers are known on social media platforms for their large following and ability to guide an audience’s purchasing decisions, whether they’re celebrities or not.
About 75 percent of marketers use influencers to generate leads and believe in its effectiveness in building brand loyalty, according to an Augure report.
WOM MARKETING TACTICS #6
REWARD LOYAL CUSTOMERS
One of the most effective words of mouth marketing tactics for turning one-time wonders into loyal consumers is by offering them incentives.
Offering special discounts or specific content creates a sense of exclusivity. Doing things like this on a regular basis can help you mold them into brand advocates and motivate them to share their experience with others.
Word of mouth marketing tactics is an effective tool in promoting your ecommerce brand that can result in better sales conversion rates and customer retention.