{"id":84862,"date":"2025-04-29T19:10:07","date_gmt":"2025-04-29T19:10:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/glossary\/marketing-boca-a-boca\/"},"modified":"2026-10-03T15:04:58","modified_gmt":"2026-10-03T15:04:58","slug":"word-of-mouth-marketing","status":"publish","type":"glossary","link":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/en\/glossary\/word-of-mouth-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"Word-of-mouth marketing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Short answer:<\/strong> Word-of-mouth marketing is a strategy that encourages customers, employees or partners to share their experiences and recommend a brand to other people. It can arise spontaneously or be encouraged through memorable service, review requests, referral programs, communities and post-purchase communications. Its effectiveness is measured by connecting each recommendation to signals such as mentions, reviews, shared links, codes, referred leads, conversions and revenue.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

A recommendation from someone close to us removes part of the risk we feel when buying. It doesn’t sound like an ad: it comes with a real experience behind it. That difference explains why word-of-mouth marketing can open doors that a paid campaign takes much longer to get through.<\/p>\n\n

However, counting on customers to speak well of your company by sheer chance leaves too much to luck. You can create the conditions for the conversation to happen, make it easy to share and measure what happens next. The challenge is doing this without turning a genuine opinion into a disguised sales pitch.<\/p>\n\n

In this guide you’ll find a method that works for a small business as well as for an organization with several teams. You’ll also see how email marketing helps you maintain the relationship, identify promoters and trigger recommendations at the right time.<\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

What is word-of-mouth marketing<\/h2>\n\n

Word-of-mouth marketing<\/strong> \u2014also known as WOM marketing<\/em>\u2014 covers the actions a company takes to encourage other people to talk about its brand, product or service. The conversation can happen face to face, in a private group, by email, in a review, within a community or through a social media post. That’s why word-of-mouth marketing doesn’t belong to a single channel.<\/p>\n\n

The company influences the context, but doesn’t fully control the message. It can improve the experience, offer a reason to share and remove friction. The final recommendation belongs to the person who makes it. That is precisely where much of its credibility lies.<\/p>\n\n

It’s worth distinguishing spontaneous word of mouth from managing it as a strategy. A customer who, on their own initiative, tells others how you solved a problem is generating organic word-of-mouth marketing. If you send them an email after the purchase inviting them to share their experience, you’re amplifying that conversation. Both are valid as long as you respect people’s freedom to give their opinion and disclose any incentive.<\/p>\n\n

How a word-of-mouth recommendation works<\/h2>\n\n

The process seems simple: someone has an experience, talks about it and another person acts on it. In practice, there are several steps in between. If one of them fails, the conversation can remain a pleasant anecdote with no commercial effect.<\/p>\n\n

First, there has to be something worth talking about. It might be an unexpectedly good result, a quick response, a useful detail, a brand story or a product that solves a problem with remarkable simplicity. Then comes a trigger that brings that experience back to mind. Finally, the person needs an easy way to share it, and the recipient must find consistent proof when they look into the brand.<\/p>\n\n

The journey can be summed up like this: experience, recall, conversation, validation and action. Your website, reviews and emails come into play at different points. The recommendation sparks interest; the company’s own assets help confirm that the promise is credible.<\/p>\n\n

Organic and amplified word of mouth<\/h3>\n\n

Organic word-of-mouth marketing arises without an explicit request. It usually reflects an intense experience \u2014positive or negative\u2014 and is hard to attribute because many conversations happen in private. Even so, it leaves signals: branded searches, direct traffic, mentions or answers like “a friend recommended it to me”.<\/p>\n\n

Amplified word-of-mouth marketing adds a deliberate action. This includes review campaigns, referral programs, customer communities and stories that a brand helps circulate. Amplifying word-of-mouth marketing doesn’t mean scripting the opinion. It means reducing the effort needed to express it.<\/p>\n\n

Why word-of-mouth marketing has such an influence on purchases<\/h2>\n\n

A recommendation transfers trust. The person receiving it knows, or can at least assess, the person speaking. They also usually get specific information that an ad rarely includes: the context in which the product was used, what problem it solved and what its limitations were.<\/p>\n\n

It also shortens the evaluation time. If you’re looking for a consultancy, a restaurant or a work tool, a suggestion from someone with similar needs filters the options for you. You’ll check prices and features afterwards, but the initial list will already be shorter.<\/p>\n\n

For the company, the effect can build up. One satisfied buyer attracts another; that new customer has their own experience and may start another conversation. The cycle grows as long as quality is maintained. If the service gets worse, the same mechanism amplifies disappointment just as quickly.<\/p>\n\n

Recommendation marketing also provides insight. The words customers use reveal what value they actually perceive. Sometimes the reason people recommend you doesn’t match the value proposition you highlight in your advertising. That gap deserves attention: it may point to a clearer, more defensible positioning.<\/p>\n\n

Word-of-mouth, viral, referral and influencer marketing: the differences<\/h2>\n\n

These concepts overlap, but they rely on different mechanisms. Telling them apart helps you choose reasonable goals and metrics.<\/p>\n\n

Approach<\/th>Who spreads the message<\/th>Usual motivation<\/th>Level of brand control<\/th>Main signal<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Word-of-mouth marketing<\/td>Customers, employees, partners or the community<\/td>Sharing a useful experience<\/td>Low or medium<\/td>Conversations and recommendations<\/td><\/tr>
Referral marketing<\/td>Identified customers or partners<\/td>Helping and, sometimes, earning a reward<\/td>Medium<\/td>Leads and sales with a link or code<\/td><\/tr>
Viral marketing<\/td>A broad audience<\/td>Entertainment, surprise or social identity<\/td>Low after launch<\/td>Reach and speed of spread<\/td><\/tr>
Influencer marketing<\/td>Creators with their own audience<\/td>Editorial or paid collaboration<\/td>Medium or high<\/td>Content, reach and conversions<\/td><\/tr>
Ambassador program<\/td>People with an ongoing relationship with the brand<\/td>Affinity, recognition or benefits<\/td>Medium<\/td>Activity and sales per ambassador<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

A campaign can combine several approaches. For example, a referral program structures recommendations and makes them attributable; the stories of those taking part can, in turn, generate organic word of mouth. What matters is not calling paid content “spontaneous” and not hiding rewards.<\/p>\n\n

How to create a word-of-mouth marketing strategy<\/h2>\n\n

A useful word-of-mouth marketing strategy starts before you ask for recommendations. You need to know what experience you want people to remember, who has real reasons to share it and what action fits each stage of the customer journey.<\/p>\n\n

1. Find your recommendable experience<\/h3>\n\n

Ask why customers choose you, what result they mention when they renew and what detail appears in their thank-you messages. Review support conversations, reviews and interviews. Look for specific episodes, not generic praise.<\/p>\n\n

“They treated me well” gives you little direction. “They fixed the issue before my presentation and I was able to send the campaign” reveals speed, context and results. That kind of story contains the ingredients of a credible recommendation.<\/p>\n\n

2. Choose when to ask<\/h3>\n\n

Asking for a review right after payment is usually premature. There isn’t a complete experience yet. On the other hand, a satisfactory delivery, a resolved query, a second purchase or achieving a result create natural moments.<\/p>\n\n

Every business has its own signals. A training academy might wait until the end of a module; a software company, until the user completes a valuable action; a store, until the order has been delivered and enough time has passed to try it. The trigger should show usage, not just a transaction.<\/p>\n\n

3. Ask for a small, specific action<\/h3>\n\n

“Recommend us” forces the customer to decide what to say, to whom and through which channel. A specific request lightens that load: “Do you know someone else who organizes events and could use this template? You can forward them this email”.<\/p>\n\n

Offer a single main step. It could be replying with a sentence, posting a review, sharing a resource or introducing a contact. If you offer five options at once, the momentum behind the recommendation gets lost among the decisions.<\/p>\n\n

4. Provide materials that help without dictating the opinion<\/h3>\n\n

A short page, a demo, a guide or a case study lets you explain your offering without forcing the customer to become a salesperson. Give them an easy-to-share link and optional text they can adapt in their own words.<\/p>\n\n

Avoid ready-made testimonials. You can suggest questions \u2014what problem they had, how the process went and what changed\u2014 but the answer must still belong to the customer. Nuanced comments are usually more convincing than perfect praise.<\/p>\n\n

5. Design an easy-to-understand referral program<\/h3>\n\n

If you offer a reward, define who can take part, what action counts as a conversion, when the benefit is delivered and what happens with cancellations or duplicates. The incentive can benefit the person recommending, the person invited or both.<\/p>\n\n

The reward should complement the value of the experience. If it’s so aggressive that it becomes the only reason to talk, you’ll attract careless recommendations and perhaps customers who aren’t a good fit. Test it first with a small group and listen to their questions before opening the program up.<\/p>\n\n

6. Turn feedback into useful content<\/h3>\n\n

Customer questions can be turned into articles, tutorials and case studies. User-generated content \u2014photos, videos, use cases, comparisons or stories\u2014 provides real language and social proof, as long as you have permission to reuse it.<\/p>\n\n

You can also publish lessons learned, not just successes. Explaining what a customer expected, what obstacle came up and how you solved it together creates a more human story. Anonymize data when appropriate and get the text approved by the person or company featured.<\/p>\n\n

7. Get employees, partners and communities involved<\/h3>\n\n

Customers aren’t the only source of word-of-mouth marketing. A team that understands the offering can explain it accurately; a partner can recommend you when they spot a complementary need; a community provides ongoing conversations that a one-off campaign can hardly achieve. This way, word-of-mouth marketing becomes part of the company culture.<\/p>\n\n

Provide up-to-date information and freedom of expression. Also, make it clear when there is a commercial relationship. Transparency protects the audience’s trust and prevents a recommendation from seeming independent when it isn’t.<\/p>\n\n

8. Close the loop with thanks and lessons learned<\/h3>\n\n

Thank people for recommending you even if it doesn’t end in a sale. If you only acknowledge conversions, you ignore the effort of the person who started the conversation. A personal message, early access or recognition within the community may make more sense than an automatic discount.<\/p>\n\n

Then share what you’ve learned with the team. What type of customer refers the highest-quality opportunities? What promise do people repeat? At what point do invitees drop off? Those answers help you improve the product, the process and the next request.<\/p>\n\n

How to use email marketing to generate recommendations<\/h2>\n\n

Email works especially well as a bridge between experience and conversation. It’s a direct channel, lets you personalize the request and leaves measurable signals. What’s more, customers can forward the message without leaving their everyday context.<\/p>\n\n

An email marketing strategy<\/a> can support the whole cycle: welcome, activation, education, post-purchase, feedback request, referral invitation and thanks. Each message arrives when there is a reason for it, instead of repeating a generic request to your entire list.<\/p>\n\n

Customer signal<\/th>Right email<\/th>Word-of-mouth goal<\/th>Data worth saving<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Completed their first valuable action<\/td>Tip for getting a better result<\/td>Reinforce a shareable experience<\/td>Interest or use case<\/td><\/tr>
Received and tried the product<\/td>Open request for feedback<\/td>Spot stories and friction points<\/td>Date, product and response<\/td><\/tr>
Bought again or renewed<\/td>Invitation to write a review or case study<\/td>Turn sustained satisfaction into social proof<\/td>Customer tenure and purchases<\/td><\/tr>
Shared a link<\/td>Thanks and a resource to forward<\/td>Make a second recommendation easier<\/td>Source and individual link<\/td><\/tr>
Referred a lead<\/td>Status of the referral, as far as allowed<\/td>Maintain trust in the program<\/td>Code and stage<\/td><\/tr>
Reported a problem<\/td>Personal follow-up after resolving it<\/td>Rebuild the relationship before asking again<\/td>Issue and resolution<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

Don’t filter feedback so that only high scorers see the option to post a public review. This practice, known as review gating<\/em>, skews your reputation and may break the rules of some platforms. Ask for feedback openly, deal with any issues and let everyone decide whether they want to post a review.<\/p>\n\n

A simple automation to get started<\/h3>\n\n

You can set up a post-purchase sequence with three touchpoints. The first email helps the customer get value from the product. The second asks about their experience and lets them reply directly. The third, sent only after a reasonable period has passed, invites them to share a resource or recommend the solution.<\/p>\n\n

The customer’s response should change the journey. If they raise a problem, create a support task and pause the promotional request. If they share a story, ask for permission to go into more detail. If they don’t reply, avoid chasing them with endless reminders.<\/p>\n\n

With Mailrelay<\/a> you can organize these journeys with automations, segmentation, custom fields and A\/B testing. The AI-assisted editor speeds up the first draft, while the dashboard lets you review clicks and behavior in real time. The free account includes up to 80,000 emails per month and 20,000 contacts, with expert multilingual support for users on that plan too.<\/p>\n\n

For teams with their own systems, the REST API helps transfer purchase, renewal or usage events. The WordPress plugin makes it easy to capture subscribers from your website. That connection lets the message respond to a specific experience instead of depending on manual exports.<\/p>\n\n

How to measure word-of-mouth marketing<\/h2>\n\n

Measuring word-of-mouth marketing requires combining direct attribution with indirect signals. Some conversations happen in person, on WhatsApp, in private messages or in meetings, so no dashboard will capture the whole picture. The reasonable goal is to observe enough signals to make decisions, not to pretend to have precision that doesn’t exist.<\/p>\n\n

Metric<\/th>Calculation or interpretation<\/th>What it helps you decide<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Recommendation rate<\/td>People who share \/ people invited to share \u00d7 100<\/td>Whether the request and timing work<\/td><\/tr>
Referral conversion<\/td>New referred customers \/ referred leads \u00d7 100<\/td>Quality of recommended traffic<\/td><\/tr>
Referral revenue<\/td>Sales attributed to codes, links or contacts<\/td>Direct revenue contribution<\/td><\/tr>
Referral acquisition cost<\/td>Program cost \/ new referred customers<\/td>Efficiency compared with other channels<\/td><\/tr>
Referred customer value<\/td>Revenue or margin per cohort over time<\/td>Quality and retention of those customers<\/td><\/tr>
Review volume and tone<\/td>Trend by period, topic and rating<\/td>Perceived experience and recurring problems<\/td><\/tr>
Recommendation mentions<\/td>Answers to “how did you hear about us?”<\/td>Impact that doesn’t show up in links<\/td><\/tr>
Net Promoter Score<\/td>% promoters \u2212 % detractors<\/td>Stated willingness to recommend, not actual sales<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

NPS provides a signal for your word-of-mouth marketing, but it doesn’t replace actual behavior. Someone may say they would recommend you and never do it; someone else may refer several customers without ever answering a survey. Compare intent, actions and revenue.<\/p>\n\n

To improve attribution, combine UTM links, individual codes, source fields in your CRM and a post-purchase question. Include “recommended by someone” as an answer and leave an optional field to specify who or where. Mailrelay’s reports and click maps<\/a> show which calls to share spark interest, and A\/B testing lets you compare the subject line, timing or offer without changing everything at once.<\/p>\n\n

How to estimate word of mouth that happens in private channels<\/h3>\n\n

So-called dark social<\/em> covers shares that are hard to track: copying a URL, forwarding an email or mentioning a brand in a chat. You can estimate it by looking at direct traffic to deep pages, code usage, spikes in branded searches and qualitative answers in forms.<\/p>\n\n

Ask in a simple way. “How did you get here?” often recovers context that a cookie doesn’t keep. If many people mention specific customers, an event or a community, you already have an actionable lead, even if you can’t assign every euro precisely.<\/p>\n\n

Word-of-mouth marketing examples for different businesses<\/h2>\n\n

A local store can send a product care guide a few days after the purchase. At the end, it invites the customer to forward it to someone who has the same problem. The content is useful before asking for it to be shared, and clicks show which topics are circulating.<\/p>\n\n

A B2B company can detect that a customer has achieved a measurable result and propose a joint case study. The customer gains visibility and a piece they can share internally; the company gets a verifiable story to reduce uncertainty in future sales.<\/p>\n\n

In ecommerce, recommendations can come after the second purchase, when there is already enough experience. A double-sided reward code makes attribution easier, while an automation stops the messages if there is a return or an issue.<\/p>\n\n

A training academy can invite its students to an open session with a guest. The event lets people experience part of the service before buying and turns the recommendation into an experience, not just a promotion.<\/p>\n\n

A large company can identify professional communities around specific uses of the product. Instead of launching the same global program, it adapts materials, language and recognition to each group, while keeping common rules for transparency and measurement.<\/p>\n\n

Risks and mistakes that can shut down the conversation<\/h2>\n\n

The first mistake is asking people to spread the word before you’ve delivered value. It’s also counterproductive to automate an invitation after a complaint, hide the fact that there’s an incentive or make the reward hard to get with ambiguous conditions.<\/p>\n\n

Buying reviews is especially harmful. It can breach platform rules and leaves patterns that are hard to believe. Likewise, deleting well-reasoned criticism prevents you from learning and can move the conflict to places where you’ll have less ability to respond.<\/p>\n\n

Another common mistake is rewarding quantity without monitoring quality. If the program celebrates any lead, you’ll get poorly matched contacts and pushy practices. Tie recognition to legitimate actions, set limits and check for possible abuse.<\/p>\n\n

Finally, avoid measuring reach alone. Thousands of shares can generate little trust or no sales at all. Look at the whole sequence: who recommends, what story is circulating, what the invited person does and how much value they retain over time.<\/p>\n\n

How to respond to negative word of mouth<\/h2>\n\n

Negative conversations can’t be fixed with a slogan. Respond quickly, acknowledge what happened without getting defensive and move sensitive details to a private channel. Then return to the public space to explain, when appropriate, that the case has been dealt with.<\/p>\n\n

Keep track of recurring topics. An isolated complaint may be an accident; several similar comments point to a problem with a process, expectations or the product. The goal isn’t to win an argument, but to reduce the cause that fuels future criticism.<\/p>\n\n

Email helps close the follow-up, although some situations call for a phone call. At Mailrelay, we offer human support by phone, chat and tickets on every account. That principle is useful for any brand too: automation organizes the work; a person should step in when the context calls for it.<\/p>\n\n

30-day plan to kick-start your word-of-mouth marketing<\/h2>\n\n

You don’t need to launch a complex program from the start. A month is enough to build a first version, test it with a small audience and get real data.<\/p>\n\n

Period<\/th>Main work<\/th>Deliverable<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Days 1\u20137<\/td>Go through reviews, support conversations, renewals and reasons for purchase<\/td>Three recommendable experiences and their signals<\/td><\/tr>
Days 8\u201314<\/td>Choose audience, timing, request and attribution method<\/td>One journey and one main metric<\/td><\/tr>
Days 15\u201321<\/td>Write emails, page and terms; connect events<\/td>Automated pilot for one segment<\/td><\/tr>
Days 22\u201330<\/td>Monitor responses, issues, clicks and referrals<\/td>Short report and one priority improvement<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

Document the pilot in your communication plan<\/a>. That way, marketing, sales and support will know what promise is being made, when a person should step in and how to record a recommendation. If you need inspiration on results and processes, you can also check out Mailrelay’s success stories<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Start with a hypothesis: “Customers who renew for the second time will recommend the guide to similar companies if we send it to them the following week”. Choose a single main metric and a time period. Then compare, learn and scale up only what maintains quality.<\/p>\n\n

Conclusion: design the context, let people speak freely<\/h2>\n\n

Word-of-mouth marketing grows when a company offers an experience that is easy to remember and explain. You can encourage that process with well-chosen moments, specific requests, shareable content and follow-up. The opinion, however, must remain authentic.<\/p>\n\n

Email turns a vague intention into an observable journey. It lets you help before you ask, segment according to the experience and measure responses, clicks or conversions. With Mailrelay<\/a> you can test this system with a generous free account, simple automations, A\/B testing, real-time analytics, integrations and human support.<\/p>\n\n

Start with an experience your customers already value. Listen to how they describe it, remove the effort of sharing it and measure what happens next. That’s where sustainable recommendation marketing begins.<\/p>\n\n

Frequently asked questions about word-of-mouth marketing<\/h2>\n\n

These short answers address the most common questions and can serve as a starting point for designing your own strategy.<\/p>\n\n

What is word-of-mouth marketing in a nutshell?<\/h3>\n\n

It’s the strategy that encourages customers and other people to share experiences, opinions or recommendations about a brand. It can arise organically or be amplified through reviews, referrals, shareable content and post-purchase communications.<\/p>\n\n

Is word-of-mouth marketing free?<\/h3>\n\n

Spontaneous conversation doesn’t require buying media, but the experience, customer service, content, technology and incentives all have costs. It’s a good idea to calculate resources and rewards so you can compare them with the customers and revenue obtained.<\/p>\n\n

What’s the difference between word of mouth and referral marketing?<\/h3>\n\n

Word of mouth covers any conversation or recommendation between people. Referral marketing structures some of those recommendations through links, codes, rules and, sometimes, rewards that make attribution easier.<\/p>\n\n

Can a B2B company do word-of-mouth marketing?<\/h3>\n\n

Yes. In B2B, it shows up through introductions between professionals, case studies, communities, events, partners and internal recommendations. Since purchases usually involve several people, it’s a good idea to offer proof and materials that your contact can share within their organization.<\/p>\n\n

When should I ask for a review or recommendation?<\/h3>\n\n

Ask for it after a real sign of value: satisfactory use, a result achieved, a renewal, a second purchase or a well-resolved issue. The exact timing depends on how long the customer needs to evaluate your product or service.<\/p>\n\n

Is it a good idea to offer incentives?<\/h3>\n\n

It can work if the incentive is proportionate, the rules are clear and the relationship is disclosed. Avoid rewarding only positive opinions. Reward legitimate participation or a valid recommendation, never favorable review content.<\/p>\n\n

How do you measure a recommendation that happens offline?<\/h3>\n\n

Combine source questions, codes, forms and records from the sales team. You’ll never capture every conversation, but you’ll be able to estimate their contribution and spot sources, customers or communities that generate quality opportunities.<\/p>\n\n

What role does email marketing play in word of mouth?<\/h3>\n\n

Email maintains the relationship after the purchase, delivers useful content and lets you ask for feedback or recommendations at set moments. It also makes it easier to segment, automate follow-up and measure clicks, replies and conversions.<\/p>\n\n

What should I do if I get a negative recommendation?<\/h3>\n\n

Listen, respond quickly and handle the case in the right channel. Record the cause, fix the process when there’s a pattern and explain the solution without exposing private data. A calm response can restore trust, but you shouldn’t pressure anyone to remove legitimate criticism.<\/p>\n\n

How long does it take for a word-of-mouth marketing strategy to work?<\/h3>\n\n

A pilot can generate signals within a few weeks if you already have active customers. Building a reputation and a steady flow of referrals takes longer because it depends on repeated experiences. Measure by cohort and avoid judging the program by its first few days alone.<\/p>\n\n

Related entries<\/h2>\n\n