When “word of mouth” Marketing isn’t enough
So Let’s talk about “Word of Mouth” Marketing
I will not deny it, “Word of Mouth” Marketing has long been considered one of the most effective and longstanding forms of marketing. And if you are a small business that gets most of your clients through word of mouth, you know how amazing that feeling is. Because in so many ways, it’s one the most genuine way to get “ready to commit” clients. I mean, it holds so much weight when they are being sent directly from people who already trust you.
the Pros for word-of-mouth marketing really could fill their own blog but what I want to talk about today is how rarely we talk about the Cons when you rely 100% on this marketing style in the modern business world...
Limited Reach
While word of mouth is definitely effective, it has a limited reach. The number of people who hear about your product or service is limited to the number of people in your customers' social circle. This means that you are missing out on potential customers. Depending on your business goals, you may want to reach out of one circle and into another so having a marketing plan that goes beyond referrals is essential. For example, I see SO many birth workers wanting to attend more home births and fewer hospital births. When I ask what they are doing to market to home birth families they still say their clients mostly come from word of mouth. Word that probably sounds a lot like this, “You should hire Kathy she was such an amazing support and advocate for my hospital birth.” It’s a raving review but it’s about your abilities to serve that client’s like-minded circle.
Slow Growth
At the beginning of a business, there is always a slow climb. You have to discover the first client, then a second, and slowly define exactly who it is you want to work with. While word of mouth soon becomes an essential way you find your people it’s pretty hard to start a business that way. And if you are starting out in a pretty saturated market like photography, Etsy designing, or doula work it’s easy to give up before things really get going and feel solid. Often having a marketing plan that engages more than one strategy will give you that boost you need to see success.
Lack of Control
Another downside is that you have little control over the message that is being shared. While you can encourage customers to share positive information about your product or service, you cannot control what they say or who they say it to. It’s common for misinformation to be spread just as easily as positive recommendations. Things like, “She gave me a discount in 2015 so I’m sure she’d do it for you.” This lack of control can be harder to handle and break free from.
Hesitation to Raise Prices According to Your Growing Experience
It is standard in most businesses to increase your prices as you gain experience and therefore add value to the products and services you offer. Word-of-mouth marketing can often slow that organic value growth down and cause a lot of imposter anxiety for creatives and birth workers who can’t seem to find clients with a higher budget. This is often what happens when you aren’t marketing outside of person-to-person recommendations. When a friend of a friend sees you’ve doubled your price but knows their friend only had to pay X they worry they are losing out rather than seeing YOU as exactly what they need, no matter the cost.
I often see hesitant birth workers fearful to raise their prices even when it means they are burning out and not finding time to balance their families.
Struggle to Compete
While you may be booking out with your amazing circle of referrals now, it’s common for that circle to eventually dry up. You find yourself spinning in circles while your competitors have spent time building a foundation for long-term success by utilizing different marketing strategies at once.
Stalling in Inquiries Can Lead to Burn Out
When you feel unable to grow, unable to raise your prices, and not working with the people you want to be, your motivation naturally stalls. Especially when you’ve gotten pretty comfortable and all of a sudden the well of clients drys up. You also might not be checking in about the ways you need to creatively and practically expand, in many ways our businesses need space to change and grow as you do. You often need a jolt of energy, education, or excitement to keep you from burning out completely.
but Don't Worry I have some ideas for you...
To reach a larger audience, you need to utilize a couple of marketing channels at a time. But they don’t have to be something super sales and you don’t have to market in a way you hate. Thankfully there are so many business marketing options out there. Social Media, Email Marketing & Advertisement (just to name a few). Having more than one avenue ensures a consistent message/brand reaching a larger audience. Once you have identified your preferred path you can then start creating a unique strategy that incorporates your multiple marketing channels cohesively. By doing so, you can build a strong brand that attracts more ideal clients and in the end generates more financial stability for you and your growing business!
Web Designer, Brand curator, Social Media Supporter, Boy Mom, and lover of seeing other mama-owned businesses flourish and succeed!
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