Give your customers something to talk about

April 4, 2012 – Word-of-mouth marketing is the oldest form of advertising. It is easier,
more effective, and more accessible to the average businessperson.
Here are five great ideas restaurants can use to improve word-of-mouth
marketing and give their customers something to talk about.

Word-of-mouth marketing is the oldest form of advertising. It is easier,
more effective, and more accessible to the average businessperson.

"Word-of-mouth marketing isn't about marketers or marketing – it's about
real people and why those real people would want to talk about you and
your stuff,” says Andy Sernovitz, author of Word of Mouth Marketing: How
Smart Companies Get People Talking. “It is giving people a reason to
talk about your stuff and making it easier for that conversation to take
place.”

Here are five great ideas restaurants can use to improve word-of-mouth
marketing and give their customers something to talk about.

• Send them home with something. Send folks out of your restaurant with a
  unique doggy bag, a T-shirt, some dessert to share – anything that will
  help them tell the next people they see about you.
• Offer a secret menu item. Offer a dish or special drink that only
  insiders know about. It will not only make them feel special, but will
  also give them something to share with their friends. 
• Put it on the wall. Put things on the wall that will encourage
  customers to bring their friends to show them. Try taking pictures of
  your best customers, having a "wall of fame" or allowing them to use
  personalized mugs. 
• Host special events. Find key groups of talkers and invite them to
  meet in your restaurant. Try hosting a quarterly gathering for wedding
  planners, or hosting meetings for groups that come together frequently.
• Create a holiday. Whether you go all out for a traditional holiday
  or you create your own – bring people to your place for a celebration.
  

Check out www.wordofmouthbook.com for more great tips on word-of-mouth marketing.

Andy Sernovitz created the Word of Mouth Marketing Association and the
Association for Interactive Marketing. He's passionate about marketing
ethics and travels the country teaching companies how to be nicer to
people. Visit www.andysernovitz.com for more information.