Consciously or subconsciously, we are constantly influenced by the people around us, be it family members or friends or colleagues or even neighbours. Back in the days, when the internet was yet to be born, people had to interact face-to-face and make connections through word-of-mouth communication which worked out pretty well. Now it's more of people-to-computer, but the idea is the same and much more convenient. Since social influence is ingrained in every single human, word-of-mouth marketing is a highly effective tool! Majority of us trust recommendations from friends and family, more than any other form of marketing. Whether you are operating a retail store, flea market booth, online store or sell wholesale merchandise, word-of-mouth marketing is effective.

1. Know Your Brand

You need to know your brand inside-out. Be clear about what your brand stands for, what are its values, what products or services you provide and how can it help people. This will help you present your brand in a way that your audience can appreciate. Trust can be easily built once you're sure of what you are, since people dig confidence.

2. Prioritize Psychology Before Technology

A whole lot of time must be dedicated to doing research on the minds of your audience and what actually makes them share. Consumer behaviour needs to be studied on a regular basis since it changes according to new trends. This makes it easier to hit the right spot of your target audience. Anyone can send a bunch of emails, but going that extra mile by personally interacting with your customers and finding out what they expect from you can come in very handy. Find out what drives people to share content or stories and use these elements to your advantage.

3. Provide Top-Notch Products & Services

Give something extraordinary for people to talk about. Customers will remember your products and services only when you live up to, or exceed their expectations by delivering quality in what you sell and how you sell it. Your product, your ads, your sales pitch and everything else must make them feel you're worth their time. Word-of-mouth marketing can be both, positive and negative. It can bring you down if your customers are unhappy with your brand and end up complaining publicly about their bad experience. You definitely want to avoid negative publicity!

4. Advertise Through Influencers

Advertising your brand through influencer engagement is indisputably effective in generating leads. This word-of-mouth tactic works wonders since these influencers might already have an influence on the audiences' purchasing decisions. Influencers can range from famous social media stars from YouTube or Twitter or Facebook to even industry leads. Interacting online with a big brand, for example, can get you their followers and increase your visibility drastically. Pick relevant, popular and authentic influencers to take your social engagement to the next level.

5. Capitalize On Loyalty

Give your regular and loyal customers special incentives, additional offers and exclusive content that will make them feel privileged and special. They will definitely want to share their happy experience with friends and family and turn into loyal brand advocates that you've always wanted. Make your audience happy and watch them advocate your brand on social platforms! Don't forget to thank them and show gratitude - helps maintain a good brand image.