Word of Mouth Advertising - Assignment Example

Word-Of-Mouth Advertising Introduction Word-Of-Mouth (WOM) advertising refers to people to people communications about the merits, demerits and experiences related to brands. Importance of WOM Advertising WOM advertising is credible and reliable. People tend to trust their friends and relatives more than anybody else. WOM is thus highly influential and personal. WOM generally takes place when a potential customer is actively seeking information about a product or service. The timely input from a reliable and trustworthy source makes WOM advertising more relevant and meaningful.

WOM advertising is particularly important for small businesses that strive to maintain personal relations with customers. In the present day world of digital media, WOM advertising transcends geographical boundaries and reaches scores of people all over the world in no time. Hand held devices like mobiles have further facilitated the growth and efficacy of WOM advertising. WOM Vis-à-vis Traditional Advertising WOM advertising may take two forms; buzz and viral marketing. Buzz tends to create excitement about the brand.

Some surprising or outrageous means may be adopted by the company to create a buzz. When such information and excitement spreads online, it is referred to as viral marketing. The lack of control over WOM thus becomes the fundamental difference between WOM and traditional advertising. The cost involved in WOM advertising as compared to traditional advertising is negligible. The traditional advertising is planned and well thought-out. A company may however not be able to completely plan and control a WOM campaign.

In the ultimate analysis, the success or other wise of WOM advertising depends on whether the audience find the message worthy of passing on. Companies should strive to harness the power of WOM and use it along with other traditional advertising to reap maximum gains. ReferencesKotler, P., & Keller, K., (2011). Marketing Management. Prentice Hall; 14 edition