Word of Mouth
Organic sharing of information about products or services between people.
Also known as: WOM, Word of mouth marketing, Referrals
Category: Concepts
Tags: marketing, growth, businesses, referrals, trust
Explanation
Word of mouth (WOM) is the oldest and most trusted form of marketing—people telling others about their experiences. It's powerful because people trust recommendations from friends and family far more than advertising. WOM can be organic (happens naturally) or amplified (encouraged through referral programs, shareable experiences, or remarkable products). The key drivers are: exceeding expectations, creating emotional connections, making sharing easy, and giving people stories worth telling. For creators and knowledge workers, word of mouth often drives the majority of growth. The question becomes: 'What would make someone spontaneously tell a friend about this?' Building something worth talking about is the foundation.
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