At a lunch meeting at the Cheesecake Factory yesterday, I was beginning to tell a client we wanted to help them develop ways to make their company, products and services more “shareable.”
I know, it’s not a real word, but I use it a lot because it telegraphs the idea immediately.
But yesterday, I never needed to explain. Right as I was going to share some examples of ways to be shareable, the server came to our table and did it for me by handing everyone this card:
When you open it, there are two panels. One has two detachable discount cards—one for you and one to share with a friend:
Another panel encourages you to go online and send an e-card to a friend:
Her timing was good. But the example was great.
For countless reasons, we all know word of mouth is the most powerful form of marketing. So it’s smart to develop tools that make it easier than ever for your customers and prospects to share you with others.
So, how can you make your company, product or service more shareable?
Comment below to share.
And share this post with a friend that will benefit from this advice. 🙂
Great story – and one of my favorite restaurants!
I couldn’t help but think, as I read, “we all know word of mouth is the most powerful form of marketing”… of the phrase I heard last year about the three important “T’s” in marketing: “Television, Telephone, Tell-a-woman”… Yes, word of mouth is the best marketing you can receive – but let’s not forget that works both positively and negatively!
I love your angle on Viral Marketing. Sharing is a much nicer way of looking at it, and it is amazingly potent! I’ve run across several “share with a friend” promotions (I believe Gymboree did a direct mail coupon you could share with a friend w/an online discount code), and they WORK! (Especially when you share with a woman.)
Great article, will be sharing it.
I agree that being able to spread the word through customers/visitors is the way to go.