Most marketers know that nothing they do will ever top someone walking up to their friend and saying, “Have you heard about the new restaurant down the street? They are amazing!” That exchange of information is worth more than a month’s worth of strategic planning.
Word of mouth is a traditional method of marketing, but author, marketer, and podcast creator Jay Baer argues that most businesses don’t actively earn word of mouth.
Jay has coined a new term, “talk trigger,” to explain what businesses should aim for when striving for word of mouth.
What is a Talk Trigger?
There are a few elements to talk triggers, but the first thing to know is: talk triggers set you apart from the competition.
That means a talk trigger is something that differentiates you and makes your business worth telling a friend about.
Second, talk triggers stem from your operations, not your marketing department.
It may seem counterintuitive, but your marketing team’s strategic planning will probably not earn your business extra customers. No, instead, it is more likely that something you do for your customers – or provide your customers – is what will make them tell a friend about you.
How Do You Create Your Own?
Creating your own talk trigger can be tricky. The question is not necessarily, “What makes my product better than other similar products?”
Instead, ask yourself, “What can I do for my customers that is more entertaining, or more useful, or more generous?” By asking this question, you can find additional value for your customer – often at little to no added cost for you.
Another way to think of talk triggers is to consider what kind of story your customers could tell their friends. When they sit down for a beer and talk about their week, what about your business interaction might make them share the experience with a friend?
The Best Business in New York City
Jay tells a story about a locksmith in New York City who is the best-rated locksmith in the area – and the best-rated business in New York City.
This locksmith did not spend astronomical amounts on marketing, ads, and social spends. He created a talk trigger for himself that everyone tells their friends about. He charges the same rate, no matter the time of day, and then – not only does he fix your lock – he will also perform a security check on your home, for no additional fee.
His customers feel they are treated with care, and they are excited to tell friends about their experience – through word of mouth.
Keep in Touch with Jay Baer
You can learn more from Jay about talk triggers and plenty of other topics at jaybaer.com. You can also follow his digital marketing advisory firm, Convince and Convert where you can find his podcasts, eBooks, webinars, and blog posts all in this one place.
Keep an eye out for Jay’s new book about word of mouth and the 4-5-6 of talk triggers, coming soon.