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The Secret To Generating Buzz For Your Brand That Keeps People Talking

This article is more than 5 years old.

Some brands have a perpetual buzz about them. In ‘n’ Out Burger has their secret menu, DoubleTree Hotels has the warm chocolate chip cookie, The Cheesecake Factory has a menu that is close to the size of an unabridged dictionary. Enterprise Rent-A-Car will “pick you up.” Of course, Uber kind of killed that Enterprise message. How do businesses create buzz and get people talking about them?

It generally comes down to some form of a Talk Trigger, which happens to be the name of Jay Baer and Daniel Lemin’s latest book. I had the pleasure of speaking with Baer about the book and what you can do to create talk triggers for word-of-mouth advertising for your business. Baer and Lemin don’t just share anecdotes, but they have performed original research on word-of-mouth marketing.

The Great Misconception

It’s easy to understand why many feel that word-of-mouth buzz just “happens.” However, great word-of-mouth is best achieved when you plan for it. Competency doesn’t lead to someone spontaneously sharing their experience on social media. You rarely see a post that says, “They did exactly what we expected, and everything was fine.” Rather, it’s the unexpected.

It’s Often Little Things

I used to travel frequently to Philadelphia. I spent over 100 nights at the same hotel each year. One weekend, my wife and I decided to stay at the hotel and experience the city. We asked the hotel if we could bring our dog. The hotel staff responded, “Of course. What’s the dog’s name?” I thought what a silly question. Did they need to put the dog’s name in the registry? I shared that the dog's name was Noodles. My wife named the dog. So, please hold your ridicule.

When we arrived at the hotel, the staff greeted us by name, including, “Welcome, Noodles.” Shortly after getting to our room, there was a knock at the door. In walked room-service, asking where they should put Noodles' bowls for food and water. They proceeded to set down a tray with Sterling silver bowls, opened a bottle of Evian water, and filled his water bowl. They then used tongs and removed two biscuits hand-made by the pastry chef from a container and put them in his food bowl. Noodles was in heaven. And we told everyone about the experience.

When our children were very young, we would spend a week each year at a resort in San Diego. The first year of our travel, the concierge contacted us asking about the ages of our children. They were babies at the time. Each year, upon arrival, the unit was filled with age-appropriate products like the correct size of diapers, cribs, and strollers. As they got older, they removed some of the baby-proofing and included tub-paints and age-appropriate activities at the resort. We recommended the resort to everyone who had children.

However, none of this was accidental. Both properties are part of the Four Seasons brand. These exceptional service examples served as talk triggers to share with others. Having great accommodations and expected service might not have sparked stories. But, the extra touches were unexpected and we had to tell people about them.

Four Criteria For A Talk Trigger

Baer explained the four criteria for a talk trigger.  

Remarkable: Whatever it is, you have to ensure that the experience is worthy of a remark. 

Relevant: If the offer or amenity you provide isn’t relevant, then the customer might wonder what it has to do with your brand. DoubleTree wants you to feel like you have arrived at home. So, having a warm chocolate chip cookie reinforces that brand message. If they gave you a tin of sardines, it might not have the same impact.

Reasonable: The cost of the cookie at DoubleTree is reasonable. It isn’t seen as a bribe. And the cost would not throw-off their financial operation. The warm cookie is a nice gesture, without seeming over the top. Similarly, the tub paints are noteworthy, but not too expensive for it to seem reasonable. 

Repeatable: If you only deliver an experience to your best customers, then it might not be a talk trigger. I love that Hilton Hotels has special parking spaces reserved for Diamond members at some property types. However, that only applies to a small number of us who qualify. So, though it’s a great perk, it might not be a talk trigger since not everyone is eligible for that benefit. Everyone gets the cookie at DoubleTree, even if you know you should skip the cookie and hit the gym.

It’s Your Turn

Talk Triggers provides a guide to building word of mouth for your business. The authors offer that if you purchase their book and don’t love it, they’ll personally buy you any book you want. I don’t know if it’s reasonable for a purchaser to ask them to buy a medical school book in exchange, but their offer certainly is remarkable, relevant, and repeatable. How can you build a talk trigger into your business?

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