A recent Dilbert cartoon nailed most companies’ approach to word of mouth marketing:

After you have yourself a quick chuckle, you’ll realize how much truth there is in this simple comic strip. How many companies today have heard of word of mouth marketing as a tactic and decide they need to add it to their “marketing mix”? I know have had too many companies approach me asking if I can do some of that “word of mouth stuff” for them. The problem is that marketing doesn’t happen in campaigns.

Let me share a secret I shared with the attendees at a recent workshop I conducted. The secret to word of mouth marketing is this:

1. Create an organization worth talking about
2. Engage with your customers
3. Arm them to spread the word for you

Notice step 1 is to have something worth talking about. How many companies do you know who miss that first, critical step?

How do you become a company worth talking about, you ask? Check out the “innie” model for a few ideas.

Any examples of companies you have seen who seem to epitomize the comic strip above?