ReveNews
WOM Marketing, intrinsic motivation, and the “friend-cash bonus”
I’m always interested in the lines of Word of Mouth marketing (WOM), viral marketing, and affiliate marketing, but there’s the added complexity of building of “brand ambassadors” and “loyalty specialists” who can help drive your brand to acceptance and/or widespread adoption. Some lines are just economics, some are trust based, but some can cross the line. On one had, the best referral is an unsolicited one from someone you trust, but without that, studies have shown that reviews and opinion sites play a large role.
There’s been a nagging worry that rewarding your fans or ambassadors could have a negative impact, but at the same time, “street teams” appear to be a tried and true staple for bands, clubs, and other entertainment related business. But on a simpler level, if a friend covers your expenses for an activity, ball game, or movie that you otherwise wouldn’t spend money for, are you doing a favor or acting as a paid companion? What if it doesn’t happen just once in a while but all the time? What if you have to listen to him/her discuss products that you “should really buy” on these outings? Are you really a friend, or are the activities a “friend-cash bonus”.
I came across a good read about this topic, called Forcing it, word-of-mouth, and community X. The article is a little academic, but it’s a pretty good read and helps you take a look at the potential negative impact of customer advocacy programs and viral marketing techniques used by some recognized firms. Both the article and the comments are worthwhile.
I hope a ragular update in my email adress.
great post.