The Power of Word of Mouth - 8 Questions to Ask Before Following or Making Personal Recommendations

Columnist - Sandra Fong Young

Who do you trust more: the smiling actor on the billboard or your best friend?

If you had the most delicious waffles at an all-you-can-eat brunch, if a friendly store employee directed you to find all the tools you needed or even if you recently bought a water bottle that perpetually leaks, you are more than likely to tell at least one person about your experience.

Such word of mouth anecdotes quickly become more than personal opinions. In fact, they have continually proven to be the most powerful form of marketing. More recently, word of mouth communication has grown from in-person and phone conversations to correspondence on the World Wide Web and text messages.

Because of the large amount of trust people generally place on word of mouth testimonials, it is equally important to take a critical look at what others are advising and pay attention to what you recommend. In essence, by making these statements, each person is publicly proclaiming her endorsement, or disapproval, of a product/person/service, etc.

Consider these questions before following word of mouth advice or personally suggesting a product/service:

• Is this advice based on personal experience or hearsay?
• If it is not based on a personal experience, who is the person who used the product/service?
• Your brother’s best friend? A friend of a friend?A reviewer online?
• Has the person/you used it long enough and frequently enough to make an educated recommendation?
• Is it a good value for this particular situation/individual?
• Has the person/you used similar products/services before? If so, how do they compare?Are there any notable negatives?
• How much does it cost?

Whether you are receiving a testimonial from a real person, online column or magazine advertisement, remember to ask questions and do research before making your decision. And if you make a good decision, pass the advice on.

E-mail: TheMomMarket@gmail.com
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Sandra Fong Young is a public relations account executive at J. Walcher Communications and freelance writer.