Inspiring Word of Mouth – The Principle of Integrity

by Bill Eisner

A couple years ago, I was asked by nonbox partner BJ Bueno who is also the co-author of The Power of Cult Branding, to help contribute to the writing of , Why We Talk, The Truth Behind Word-of-Mouth. We came up with seven governing principles for inspiring WOM.

Here are the seven principles:

  1. The Principle of Integrity. They know that you know that they know.
  2. The Principle of Status. People share what makes them look good.
  3. The Principle of Cool. Ride in front of the “Cool Wave” or wipe out.
  4. The Principle of Groups. Small groups – the critical few – dictate the large.
  5. The Principle of Influence. Everyone is influential – especially on the internet.
  6. The Principle of Meaning. People talk about what’s meaningful to them.
  7. The Principle of Surprise. People love to share what surprises them.

This post deals with INTEGRITY. Essentially, people know you have an intention, and that you’ve figured out they known you have an intention. What this means from an advertising standpoint is that they know you’re trying to sell them a product, and you are aware they know they’re trying to be persuaded. Unless you get very adept at meeting their needs, you’re going to encounter a nearly-impenetrable barrier.

Brands must resist the temptation to use word of mouth on Facebook or Twitter, to sell products. Social media is best used to create a community of shared experiences. Intentional manipulation of that community will eventually destroy any relationship. As soon as the deception is discovered, trust – the foundation of any good relationship, vanishes. Consumers have learned to spot self-centered brands, if only on a subconscious level.

So here’s three ways to apply the Principle of Integrity:

  1. Develop trust before you develop tactics. Ask yourself what are five ways you can demonstrate you understand your customer so they, in-turn, will have a desire to understand you.
  2. Avoid dominating the discussion. What aspects of your communication with your customers can you let them control? Remember, word-of-mouth doesn’t belong to you anyway; it belongs to the consumer. Think back to the relationships you have with others. People who monopolize conversation usually do so for one or two reasons: a.) They are either too nervous to let the conversation lull out of fear that others may say something they don’t agree with or that will make them look foolish, or b.) They are so self-centered they aren’t paying attention to anyone else’s need to be heard.
  3. Genuinely like your customer. If you do, it will show, and there’s a much greater chance the customer will like you and your product, and talk favorably of you to their friends.

Stay tuned for blogs on the other principles, or get the whole scoop now by ordering your copy at Amazon.com

For an overview of Why We Talk visit cult-branding.com