In the nonprofit marketing world today so many people are hyper-focused on digital advertising. Facebook Ads, Google Ads, digital billboards, etc. These are all great tools, but we find so often that a nonprofit has given into the hype and FOMO (fear of missing out) when it comes to this type of marketing/advertising, and so they spin their wheels (and money) on digital ads and a very cold market all while crossing their fingers and hoping that it works….and they neglect a super warm market that is sitting right in front of them. Although digital ads are a great tool to be used, they should never replace a warm market or word-of-mouth marketing!
You’ve probably heard the saying, “word-of-mouth is the best form of advertising.” And it’s still true today. In fact, according to a study by Nielsen, 92% of consumers trust word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family more than any other form of advertising. That’s why it’s so important to focus on building strong relationships with your donors and getting them to talk about your organization! In this blog post, we’ll discuss the benefits of word-of-mouth marketing and give you some tips on how to get started or how to dig deep down into the well of your warm market!
Benefits Of Word-of-Mouth Marketing
One of the biggest benefits of word-of-mouth marketing is that it’s free! Unlike paid advertising, you don’t have to spend any money to get people talking about your business. All you need to do is provide a great product or service or in most cases for nonprofits, solve a problem, and then treat your donors well (like family!).
Another benefit of word-of-mouth marketing is that it’s just flat-out more effective than other forms of marketing. Studies have shown that word-of-mouth recommendations are up to 50 times more likely to result in a purchase or donation than traditional forms of advertising. This is because people trust the opinions of their friends and family more than they trust ads. Let’s say that again for the people in the back…They trust the opinions of their friends and family more than they will ever trust your ads!!
Word-of-mouth marketing can help you build long-lasting relationships with your donors. When donors have a positive experience with your organization and tell their friends about it, they’re not just helping you make a sale or providing donations. They’re also helping you build trust and loyalty among your customer base and target audience.
If you’re not already focusing on word-of-mouth marketing as your primary source of advertising, now is the time to start!
Here are a few tips to get you started:
- Make sure you’re providing a great product, service, or cause.
This is the most important step! If you don’t have a great product, service, or cause, no amount of word-of-mouth marketing will help you. Make sure you’re delivering on your promises and providing value to your donors. - Treat your donors well.
Word-of-mouth only works if your donors are happy with their experience. Make sure you’re providing excellent “customer service” and handling any problems that come up quickly and efficiently. - Ask for referrals.
One of the best ways to get word-of-mouth marketing going is to ask your happy customers/donors to refer their friends and family to your organization. A simpA simple referral program can go a long way! You would be surprised how many of your loyal donors would tell others about your cause if you just simply and directly asked them to! - Monitor your online reputation.
These days, most word-of-mouth advertising happens online. Make sure you’re monitoring your online reviews and responding to both positive and negative feedback promptly. This is especially important if your website doesn’t display great social proof for your visitors. If they can’t validate your legitimacy and trustworthiness on your website, they will go to third parties and see what they can find. The last thing you want is for some rogue facebook comment to be the reason a new donor gives up on your cause.
By following these four simple tips, you can start generating some buzz for your business and building strong relationships with your customers! Word-of-mouth marketing is a powerful tool that’s well worth spending time on.