Word-of-mouth marketing

Many businesses are turning back the clock and placing a greater emphasis on traditional word-of-mouth marketing and the latest social networks to grow their market share.

Whilst word-of-mouth marketing has been around since business started, companies that have cut back on marketing spend are re-educating their sales teams to increase their networks, attend events and be 'out there' speaking with people rather than other forms of marketing expenditure such as advertising.

This trend is not new but is being revived due to the current economic climate prompting small to medium sized businesses to sit tight, reduce expenditure and find other ways in which to market.

Social networks are also the big winner in 2009. Having come of age, businesses have seen a demand roller-coaster for social networks peak and then flatten out, only to rise again and go from strength to strength in 2009.

Businesses are using the facebook and myspace platforms for business to business marketing.

With the office junior as accomplished as that of a senior marketing manager, this cost-effective medium has gained traction.

How does social media fit into the current marketing mix of direct mail, advertising, public relations and online marketing?

Wikipedia definition is that it "describes the online technologies and practices that people use to share opinions, insights, experiences and perspectives with each other."

Through MySpace, YouTube and FaceBook, consumers are sharing experiences through the written word, photos and video.

Marketers are now taking advantage of social networks and deepening their relationships with consumers and businesses.

http://www.marketingeye.com.au

Have you been hit lately?

Standing out from a crowded market is getting harder and harder to do.

Right now, the team at Marketing Eye are in brainstorming mode for the year ahead and we are trying to come up with creative for an advertisement in the Gold Coast Bulletin.

'Have you been hit lately?' is the headline for the advertisement for launching a new website or refreshing an old one.

Websites are all about hits after all.

Now, there is a part of me that thinks that a headline like this is sending the wrong message. Yes, it is clever. Yes, it relates directly to the product we are trying to sell BUT can it be taken the wrong way?

When the LOSER campaign came out, did anyone take offense to this? I suppose some may have.

A long time ago, when I was young and trying to be really creative, I came up with a concept "we're not a fat company" eluding to the fact that in the technology boom days, agencies had large overheads and therefore had to charge their clients more - yet as a boutique agency, we had little overheads and kept our prices low.

An image I had in mind was an obese, nude lady, with layers of fat and our logo at the bottom of the page.

My creative department was scared! They were worried that everyone would take offense to an ad like this. I found it to be creative, yet others found that it would offend people and so in the end, we didn't do it. The risk was too high.

I still like the creative and personally, wouldn't care whether someone is fat or thin... as long as they are happy and healthy - who cares. Right?

Given the context, 'have you been hit lately' relates well to the topic at hand and certainly would make someone look twice.

It will be interesting to see what happens from here. Will our phones be ringing hot with sales or will someone take offense?

Let's wait and see.