Timeless Strategy

Ever wonder why a worldwide juggernaut like McDonald's needs to advertise? Do they need to remind people "they're still out there"?

Well, they do. They have a lot of competition - and so do we. McDonald's' reminding us about their brand keeps it fresh in our minds - at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It may not be our first choice, but we sure know it's an option in almost any corner of the world.

It might be more accessible - and much less costly - for a brand as massive as McDonald's to survive on the sheer volume of brick and mortar locations, with their landmark golden arches forever standing atop the fast food wastelands. But, as famously familiar as they are, long-time competitors like Wendy's, Arby's, and Burger King and newcomers like Sonic could easily dethrone McDonald's.

Social Media is the New "Mouth"."

According to Wikipedia, Word-of-mouth marketing (WOMM), also called word of mouth advertising, differs from naturally occurring word of mouth in that it is actively influenced or encouraged by organizations (e.g. 'seeding' a message in networks rewarding regular consumers to engage in WOMM, employing WOMM 'agents').

In February 2004, Mark Zuckerberg made WOMM easier than ever. Facebook's launch allowed people to share anything instantaneously with people worldwide - potentially by the millions. And, it's not shocking that social network is even more powerful today.

Add Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and social conglomeration tools like IFTTT and Hootsuite. You don't have any excuse for getting the word out about your business - at the very least to your friends and family!

But, let's face it, most people still purchase things based on "word of mouth." They may use Amazon, but who referred them to the product in the first place? An ad on their Kindle? It's possible, but what's more possible is a someone recommended it to them in a conversation.

Even though we have thousands of apps ready on our smartphones, many people still value which restaurant your friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, or "locals" recommend while you're on vacation or what takeout is good in that neighborhood you just moved into. Or, at what preschool should you enroll your child? Which laundry detergent keeps your clothing the "brightest" or "whitest"?

So, what are people saying about YOU and YOUR business?