Quotes from George Silverman

Stated another way, the product with the easier decision-support system often has the competitive edge, even if the product, considered apart from that system, is not superior. The fact that it's easy to decide on becomes an actual feature of the product.

I define word of mouth as "the exchange of information about a product or service among people who are independent of the producer".

Central to the concept of word of mouth is the idea that the producer of the product does not control the information, which is, accordingly, presumed to be more free of bias, more relevant, more complete, more trustworthy, and thus more accurate than commercial information. Commercial communication or advocacy, such as advertising, is, in contrast, information from a source that has a vested interest in presenting the information in a particular way. Word of mouth and traditional advertising

Word-of-mouth marketing is the deliberate attempt to encourage and facilitate the transmission of such third-party communication.

Many studies have shown that a satisfied customer is likely to tell approximately three people about a product, whereas a dissatisfied customer is likely to tell approximately eleven people. This is often because the positive experiences are expected and soon forgotten, but the unresolved negatives get people angry and frustrated, provoking word of mouth.

But this also explains why word of mouth is often negative. When people ask someone about a product, they are likely to ask, "Have you had any trouble with X?" They know that they are likely to get a straight answer from an independent source. Another reason that word of mouth is often negative is that people are three to ten times more likely to tell others about a negative experience than a positive one.

Isn't it interesting that—in the English language, at least—there's a word for making things simple ("simplification" or "simplify"), but no word for making things easy or fun.

Overloaded people are always on the lookout for something that will make things simpler and easier. Instead of studying all about a product and going through a difficult decision process that they may not have enough knowledge to do well, they ask someone else.

We go to known experts, trusted advisers, and knowledgeable friends to get unbiased and personally tailored recommendations. We thus avoid the work, discomfort, and information overload of making decisions that are difficult for us, but easy for them, given their knowledge and skill sets.

Word of mouth is the most effective way of making decisions easier and simpler in an overwhelmingly difficult and complex world.

Word of mouth is, first and foremost, an experience-delivery system.

Marketing is a noble profession. It helps people meet their needs. It introduces people to products that enhance their lives, that increase their enjoyment and well-being, that make them safer and more competent, and that save them effort. Marketing presents satisfying products in ways that excite people.

Realize that your product is a valuable gift to your customers and that you are providing the noble service of helping them see that value.

Marketing is a service that you do for and with the customer, not to the customer. Like any service, its value is to be found at the intersection of what you can do best for the customer and what the customer needs most.

Focused word of mouth from the right sources in the right sequence at the right level in the right form at the right pace is going to lead them through a very easy-to-make series of decisions, without wasting time, effort, and money.

In this, the Age of Overload, the service that marketing provides is to make the decision process easier for the customer, every step of the way. SECRET Your new function is decision easification, which means easing the burden of the decision process in this overloaded world.

There is another thing to consider: The best product does not always win; the easiest-to-decide-on product wins. I believe that this is the biggest marketing breakthrough in the last several decades.

The product that wins is not always the "best" product. It's the product that makes the product decisions smooth, easy, fun, and fast.

The "easy-to-decide-on" product wins because customers tend to follow the path of least resistance.

Your job as a marketer is to make your product the "easiest-to-decide-on" product in its field.

F.W. Woolworth, the founder of the largest retail chain of its time, said, "I'm the world's worst salesman. Therefore, I must make it easy to buy.

We need to look at what will make the message word of mouth worthy (WOMworthy). Who will transmit it through what channels and why? How will we know what will amplify the effects of the message? The Six Ms I find it helpful to think of the six Ms Message content Mavens transmitters Means via Motivation energized by Measurement results Multiplication amplification So we have a measured message spread by motivated mavens using multiplying means.