I’ve heard so many web-based small business owners do their best to avoid using the word advertise that I’ve begun to wonder why. I’ve worked with enough clients offline to know that it’s not small business owners in general. Offline businesses use advertising constantly to get the word out about their business.

But it seems different for online small businesses. Somehow it seems that the word advertise is unclean or dishonest or something. While I haven’t quite put my finger on it, it is obvious that online small business tend to look at advertising differently. They often don’t consider placing ads – even Google Adwords.

This strikes me as odd because a few, well-placed advertisements can often drive far more than business than their cost.

But the more interesting thing is watching how web-based small business owners avoid using the term altogether. Sure, they talk about marketing, but rarely about advertising. Why do you think that is?

Yet advertising is simply a part of marketing. The best, simple, explanation of the difference between marketing and advertising was written by Rick Cockrum some time back.

“Marketing is the sum of the activities you perform to get the word out about your business and attract the customers you want. Advertising is one marketing activity. It usually entails publishing paid announcements about your business. At our theatre we advertise in the local paper weekly. Our marketing consists of a website, word of mouth from our customers (our best marketing), involvement in local activities, public service functions, involvement with local business groups, (etc)… . You can see that advertising, while important, is only a small part of marketing.”

Rick goes on to suggest that you should “use both.”

I fully agree. I’m a huge – I mean huge – proponent of word-of-mouth marketing and client referrals. Yet it can be difficult to grow a successful business just by word-of-mouth. I’m not saying it can’t be done. Heck, I did it myself. But I know that the right ads in the right places can speed up the growth process immensely.

And advertisements work. No doubt about it. Otherwise Pepsi, McDonalds, Ford and every other company in the world wouldn’t spend the money on it. Even spam email works. And that’s basically what spam is – a paid advertisement sent to your inbox. What makes it spam is that you’ve not given the sender permission to email you about their product. Yet spam must work otherwise no one would be paying spammers to send their messages.

Advertising, for good or bad, simply works. That’s not the question.

The question? Is adverstising working for your business? If so, how; what sort of results have you gotten? If not, why not; what have you tried and how did it turn out?

And if you’ve not tried paid advertising on the web, why not? What keeps you from jumping in?

Let’s talk about it.

(note: image from Pink Ponk on Flickr, some rights reserved)

Sure, it’s possible to create a viral marketing strategy. And it’s certainly possible to know what viral marketing is and, theoretically, how to use it.

But can you just simply create a viral response in some formulated or calculated way? Or is viral marketing something that happens as a result of a little solid word-of-mouth marketing and a little luck?

Well, according to Ze Frank, we don’t just go get ourselves a viral marketing experience. Rather it’s something that sort of organically happens based on, first, word-of-mouth marketing and then, second, by way of having chosen the right thing at the right time with the right audience. In other words, viral is not something we can just go get.

And if anyone would know, it would be Ze Frank. He distributed video that went massively viral – making him an overnight star on the web. Subsequently, he went on to create ‘The Show‘ where he used video to experiment with all types of ways to get a message out over the web.

Here, my friend and word-of-mouth marketing guru Andy Sernovitz interviews Ze Frank at a conference a couple of years ago. In this short, 3 minute video, you can get a glimpse into the ideas of someone who has been fortunate enough to have had a true viral marketing effect – over and over again. And if you want more, Ze Frank’s talk at TED, What’s so funny about the web, a few years ago is almost legendary.

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from the video: Ze Frank: “…I would say viral is not (even) a tool. Viral just defines a particular way that traffic builds. And I think that if you do have something that goes viral it’s really great to understand that that’s happening and respond to it in a very, very particular way. But I really think looking at the growth as it happens is an important thing. “

Andy: “…so viral’s an adjective that describes what happens. It’s not a noun that you want to get you some of.”

Ze Frank: “Yeah, I want me a viral.”

I keep wondering if viral isn’t something that we see and measure while it’s happening and then evaluate and learn from when it’s passed rather than planning for and making happen. If so, would that make it more a result and less a strategy?

from the caption in the photo above:

24% of marketers have run a viral marketing campaign, but many struggle to get the expected buzz.

So what do you think? Is it possible to set out specifically to create a viral marketing effect or is it something that happens from luck?

And if you’ve ever had a viral push, how did it begin, how did it build and what was the result. More importantly, did it go the way you planned it?

Let’s talk about it.

(note: image from Will Lion on Flickr,  some rights reserved)

You know how it works, you find some amazing product or use some stupendous service and you can’t help but tell people about it. It’s as though you’ve found something unique that you have to share with others.

As a small business owner, word-of-mouth marketing can be your best friend. The cost is low and the affect can be huge.

But on thing that always gets in the way more effectively using word-of-mouth marketing is the idea that you have to create the greatest product or service in the world. If it’s even possible, it’s not necessary.

What is necessary is that you give people a compelling reason to talk about your offer. This is exactly what word-of-mouth marketing guru Andy Sernovitz shared at OSI Rock Stars and eBay Live:

The best thing you can do is make sure people have a reason to talk about you. When they look at your listing, they see what you wrote, there should be some obvious thing where they say, “I’ve gotta tell a friend about this.” If your listing isn’t making people say, “I’ve gotta tell a friend,” add something, change it, spice it up, do something cool so that they absolutely have to forward it.

Here’s the clip:

[youtube 1NP3WdagAek]

Compelling can come in many forms. If you have a great product, do something in the copy or on your website to give people a reason to forward it. As Andy suggests, do something obvious, a little odd or cool just so people want to share it.

People love to share things that are interesting. They love to pass on things that will add value to people’s lives. And they love to share things that are funny, witty, or helpful. Think of all the times you’ve share something with others. Why have you done it? Why have you taken a few minutes to tell someone about the thing you saw, the product you bought or the person you worked with?

What motivates you to share is the same thing that motivates others. We all have different triggers, but we are motivated by the same foundational desire to share interesting and helpful things with people we know.

So what motivates you to share? And, perhaps, more importantly what can you do with your marketing materials, website or blog that would create a compelling reason for people to share you with others?

Let’s talk about it.

(note: image from Paul Mayne on Flickr, some rights reserved)

But did you know that word of mouth marketing can be illegal?

According to Andy Sernovitz there’s a new bill (pdf) being introduced in the U.K. which will make some marketing practices illegal. The bill is meant to stop false and misleading marketing practices. Of course, word of mouth marketing could easily fit into that category if marketers were deceptive about their campaigns.

So what makes word of mouth marketing illegal?

In Andy’s post he lists a few examples where the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has made this clear. And from what I read in the U.K.’s new bill (pdf), it seems to agree.

• Asking buzzers to recommend your product with disclosing that they are part of a campaign or are receiving an incentive.
• Falsely representing your employees as consumers.
• Asking buzzers to claim they like your product when they don’t or have never tried it.

Now I, personally, don’t know anyone who’s doing these things purposely to promote their business through word of mouth. Yet to me it seems like there might be a gray area here. Gray in the sense of what we, as business owners feel is deceptive versus what consumers would feel is deceptive.

Please hear me clearly, I’m not talking about lying to yourself so you can scam the public. I’m talking about places where we might not realize we’re bending the truth in order to gain an advantage. When we talk about blogging, one of the things that comes to mind where this could happen is with being paid for posts.

Think about it, if someone wants to pay you either to write a post on a topic or to review a product, couldn’t that skew your judgement a bit? I’d like to think it wouldn’t skew mine. Yet it’s because I know it’s possible that I post very few ads on my blog. And you’ve never seen a product review that I’ve been paid for. It’s likely you won’t – at least not on this site (though I have a secondary blog in development where you may see my wife and I do product reviews, etc).

Do I think that we shouldn’t be paid for our writing? Of course not. I just think it’s important to keep the blogging crede in the forefront of our minds whenever we are paid for writing posts or reviews – be authentic, be transparent.

In Andy’s post he lists a few points from the Word of Mouth Marketing Association’s Ethics Codes that can help us stay honest without ourselves and our consumers:

• Honesty of Relationship: You say who you’re speaking for
• Honesty of Opinion: You say what you believe
• Honesty of Identity: You never obscure your identity

And if you have any questions about the ethics of a campaign you’re either wanting to begin or are being pitched, use the WOMMA’s 20 questions to identify any potential trouble spots.

So what are your thoughts? When do you feel word of mouth marketing crosses into the gray areas of deception?

Have you ever been on the receiving end of a deceptive campaign? What was that like?

(note: image from macmiester on Flickr)

People share things they find enjoyable, helpful or interesting with people they know. In other words, people pass it on. That’s what social marketing is about – passing it on.

But sometimes we forget. We’re rushed or tired or just ‘messing around’ on the web and we may not think to always share things we find with people that might like or benefit from them.

So why not remind them? And when you remind them, make it easy.

Andy Sernovitz, author of Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking, and one of my favorite marketers, suggests just that. In is book he suggests:

Someone is on your website, looking at something that you are selling – and they feel the urge to tell someone else. Make it easy. That person is about to advertise for you, for free. Or they need to ask someone a questions before they buy, Or they just like what they see. Do whatever it takes to let the word of mouth happen.

I couldn’t agree more. Make it easy for people to share what they find on your site, on your blog and in your products and services sections. Really, everywhere. You never know where people will be on your site that will inspire them to share with a friend. So make it easy.

On page 124 of Andy’s book, he offers the secrets to creating effective tell-a-friend forms:

• Make it fast.
  Design a form that can be filled out in less than 15 seconds. Get rid of optional fields, passwords, or anything that gets in the way of the referral.
• Ask for several referrals.
  Be sure to explicitly ask users to forward the message to multiple friends. The more you ask, the more you get. Design the form so it is easy to add lots of names without confusion.
• Use the sender’s name.
  When you deliver the message, make sure it is from the referrer, not your website. The recipient isn’t expecting mail from you and might delete it. He will open a message from his friend.
• Include a personal message.
  Let the sender add text to the message. The referral is far more powerful when the talker gets to put it in his own words.
• Make it forwardable.
  Take a look at the message that recipients get. Is that message a ready-to-go viral email, or is it some cryptic link?
• Protect privacy.
  And brag about it. Be clear and explicit that you respect the privacy of the senders and recipients using the form and that you won’t use their emails for any other purpose (and stick to what you promise). Usage will skyrocket when you do this.

Just to drive the point home a little more, here’s a short video I found of Andy talking about how tell-a-friend is worth 1.6 billion dollars.

[youtube max4s11P0ro]

How do you ask people to pass it on? Oh yeah, and by the way, please feel free to share this blog with anyone you’d like.

(note: image from Duncan Davidson on Flickr)

I have to admit, I’m a huge fan of Andy Sernovitz.

If you don’t know Andy, he’s the author of Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking and, in my opinion, a word of mouth marketing expert.

What I love about Andy’s approach is it’s all very simple. In his book he says:

People love to talk.

People talk about products and services. People talk about hair color, cars, computers, sandwiches, TV shows, and floor cleaner. The stuff they use every day.

People are talking about you and what you sell right now.

…So you have only two choices: let people talk about you, spread rumors, and get it wrong; or join in, participate, and make it work for you.

Then he spends the rest of the book telling you how.

As I said, I love Andy’s work. So when I found this video of him YouTube talking about the 3 reasons people talk about you, I had to share it. Take a watch, it’s only a minute long:

[youtube VxFQLjNNNOo]

So how to do you nurture word of mouth marketing with your business or blog?

Andy Sernovitz, author of Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking, states that around 80% of online shopping time is spent researching products (and services) rather than buying. And 77% of online shoppers will read reviews before making a purchase.

So obviously what people think about you and your business is very important to your success. And with blast and interruption marketing being less and less effective, what people are saying about you becomes even more important.

In Andy’s book 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… It’s time to focus on making customers happy – earning their trust and respect and getting them talking about your stuff.”

So how do you get your customers and clients to talk about you and promote your business? Well, first, “Happy customers are your best advertisers.” (from Andy’s book).

But I go a step further…I say get your clients to fall in love with you.

Think about what happens to you when you fall in love. You’re giddy and excited. Your face carries a perpetual smile and your stride has a bit more bounce to it. And when you’re in love, you can’t help but telling people about it. Especially your friends.

That’s exactly how you want your clients and customers to feel from their work with you. You want them to leave your meetings excited, hopeful and with a bit of bounce in their stride. Then you’ll be the topic of conversation when your client talks to their friends.

So how do you get your clients and customers to fall in love with you? Here’s 7, rather easy, ways to begin:

1. Be nice
   Above all things, if you’re kind, polite and compassionate, they will feel it. And they’ll internally compare how they feel interacting with you with how they feel with others. It’s subtle, but it makes a huge difference.
2. Be fully attentive
   Whenever you’re interacting with a client or customer, put everything else on hold. If things come up during a meeting, write them down so they don’t get in the way of your being fully present. You know when someone isn’t fully there with you – and your clients do too.
3. Exceed their expectations
   Whenever the opportunity presents itself, take the extra step. Doing small tasks that have little impact on your time can pay huge dividends in how your clients see you. Going above and beyond creates a ‘wow’ affect. It makes them feel like they’re the most important client to you. And that’s what they’ll talk about with others.
4. Listen to what they’re really telling you
   People don’t always do a great job saying what they really mean. Listen to their words, AND listen to what they’re saying between the words. When you answer the unspoken questions and concerns your clients will trust you even more because they’ll feel like you really ‘get them.’
5. Help them understand how
   People have hired you or bought your products to help them solve some problem in their business. So make sure it does. If they don’t understand how to use it, they won’t and, in turn, you won’t succeed either. They have to be successful for you to be successful.
6. Always follow up
   If you say you’re going to do something by a certain time, do it. Do it earlier, if you can to exceed their expectations. And if you can’t do it on time, let them know as soon as you do. If you keep your clients well informed, it will go a long way to building respect and trust.
7. Stay in touch
   Even after you’re finished working directly with them, stay in touch. Give them a call or send an email that specifically asks them how they’re doing after working together or buying your product. Trust me, this will be a very pleasant surprise. And, it can give you valuable feedback as well.

Here are but a few ways to make your clients fall in love with you. Put them in action and you’ll have raving fans who want to tell everyone they know about you.

I know I haven’t covered all the ways to make your clients fall in love with you. So let’s talk about it. What’s worked for you? What hasn’t? And what have I left out?