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3 one-sentence word of mouth wonders

This is a post from our WordofMouth.org project. Check it out for more great word of mouth marketing tips like this every day.

Short is sweet when it comes to word of mouth topics. Why? Because word of mouth is lazy. To get people to talk about your stuff, don’t ask them to remember long messages and don’t make them explain something complicated. Instead, give them something portable — something they can say in one sentence.

Here are some simple word of mouth topics to inspire you:

1. “They put everything on a donut.”
2. “They hand it to you upside down.”
3. “Their employees are amazing.”

1. “They put everything on a donut.”

Gourdough’s in Austin is famous for one thing: They put everything on a donut — yes, even the salad. It’s a simple enough story to remember and to tell your friends. But it works because it’s unusual enough to stand out, even in a city full of foodies like Austin. Companies like Gourdough’s, with word of mouth built into their business model, can share their message much easier (and in fewer words) than those that rely on one-off word of mouth campaigns.

2. “They hand it to you upside down.”

Can your product do something cool? Prove it. Sometimes that’s all it takes to get people to talk about your stuff. Dairy Queen shows off how thick their ice cream shakes are by handing them over upside down. Decades ago they made this one simple change in how their employees interact with their customers, and it still starts conversations today. What small changes can you make to truly show off your stuff?

3. “Their employees are amazing.”

Your word of mouth topic doesn’t always have to be about something quirky or unusual. Sometimes it’s just about being the best at what matters to your customers. For example, people don’t talk about USAA’s bank locations or their deals on insurance. They talk about their above-and-beyond customer service — a simple word of mouth message that starts conversations every day. Are you hiring and supporting the kinds of employees your customers would tell their friends about?

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