Is Word of Mouth Betraying My Trust? Not Likely
Is the fabric of society really detrimentally impacted by word of mouth marketing? The real question should be whether or not commercialization itself has detrimentally impacted social relations. If it’s on sale, it’s worth talking about, whether or not we’re paid or unpaid endorsers. Why? Because as human beings we aspire to possess nice, shiny things. Thus, for consumer groups to protest a natural human act begs the question: how dysfunctional is their perception of natural human interaction? Based on the demographics of our sampled groups, the issue seems to be strictly a generational one.
But isn’t it unethical to lie to your consumer, lying because by using word of mouth we’re not implying or revealing critical information they may need to honestly evaluate our brand? A better question would be whether or not the onus is on the marketer or the consumer to fully inform the consumer? In other words, who’s responsibility is consumer ignorance? And who defines and classifies the nature of the information distributed by companies via any form of media in a free market system if not the companies themselves? In the U.S., it’s the Federal Communications Committee (FCC).
Well, if the FCC can define what is decent on the airwaves and the appropriate age for young people to be marketed to online (13 years old, by the way), then it’s not too far-fetched that it’s on their agenda to set policy for what marketers say to consumers via other consumers as intermediaries, a tricky topic indeed when such a fine line exists between genuine interest and paid interest. And, oh yeah, there’s no real media involved.
If this policy is set and enforced, and the courts do figure out a way to distinguish paid and unpaid endorsement so it can fine the payer of said endorsement for violating the law, then the payer will merely find a way to get the endorser to endorse either a) without ever revealing that they’re the one influencing the endorser’s endorsements; or b) offer 100% transparency and shift liability to endorser, creating a ridiculous legal conundrum. (Other, more aggressive marketers will simply account for these penalties as part of their regular marketing budgets, because if word of mouth works, and the results outweigh the punishment, it’ll continue).
My last question would then be how long until we end up in a society where we can sue those aggressive recruiters of religious faiths, or perhaps those recruiters for the armed forces, or even anyone who would dare to casually inform me that the latest movie was “cool”?
Reader Comments.
Very Good advise! The word of mouth is a good tool. I have written a book “Meditation for Prosperity” so far I am applying this principle at the churches that I go to preach and market my Website. But my question to you, What should I do in order to have more responses?
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