word of mouth again
June 3, 2009 by Dr. Letitia Wright
Filed under Featured Articles, Wright Ideas
Phone call #248 ( the number doesnt matter, they are all like this)
Them: Dr. Wright I have this great product and I need to know how I get on your show and sell thousands of them.
Me: wonderful, whats is your process for getting people to know about this product? Do you do any advertising?
Them: It’s all word of mouth! That is how I built my business. We don’t spend a dime on advertising.
Me: Why don’t you advertise? I am just curious?
Them: Advertising does not work. We get all our clients by word of mouth. One person loves the product and they tell someone else and they buy one and love it too.
Me: are you making all the sales you want that way?
Them: No, thats why I am coming to you, I want YOU to tell millions about it and then I can sell thousands.
Me: Can you send samples to give away on the show?
Them: No. That costs too much money. I would do that if you were as big as Oprah.
Me: If I were as big as Oprah, it would cost you 100 times more to give it away on her show. Oprah gives her huge audience the items and even to some people who are at home. So if you can’t afford it here, you can’t afford Oprah either.
Them: We’ll its the hottest thing ever and you need to have it on your show. When can I come on the show?
Me: Thanks for calling, I need to go brush my dog’s teeth now.
I have learned lately that most people do not know what word or mouth is. It’s a real strategy. It is also not a FREE strategy.
I am also suspect when you say advertising does not work , you really mean you did not budget for advertising. We have all had campaigns that did not. To say NONE of them work is silly. It is very easy to spend money on the WRONG type of campaign and come up with no sales. It’s also just as easy to be selling to the wrong people and have no return on your campaign.
When you come to an outlet you have never tried before and say advertising does not work, you are show yourself to be a very inexperienced marketer.
Lesson: know the difference between advertising and PR.
If you are asking for advertising be prepared to pay or at least barter.
If you are asking for PR be prepared with samples and something to create a discussion about. Or be prepared to pay a professional PR person to do it for you.
If you need help with PR, grab the free ebook at proof@getresponse.com
You’re SO right! =)