The use of word of mouth marketing can be a real hot topic.  Studies have been done that show merely depending on the spoken word for referral traffic is much like the childhood game where a topic is repeated around the room and ends up very different at the end than when it began.  Since that is an issue with strict word of mouth then is there a better model for referral traffic?

I have found that there are other methods which are much better at generating referral traffic.  These include internet marketing campaigns, viral marketing campaigns and viral ebook marketing.

Internet marketing campaigns can consist of asking your existing customers to provide testimonials as to their experience with your product.  Long time customers make the best testimonial prospects.  They have proven over time both to themselves and probably to others that your company produces a product that is worth purchasing repeatedly over a period of time.

Offer long time customers an incentive for their testimony, after all, they will be putting their reputation on the line for your company.  This can be in the form of some incentive for each new customer they refer to your company.  For instance, provide some sort of token or coupon they can give to those they refer.  The coupon can give the new customer a special deal when they bring it in.  Of course the "token" must be keyed in some manner so you know who referred the new customer.  That way you can properly reward them for their efforts on your behalf.  Once you have their testimony, go out of your way to ensure that you do what they say you do.

There are various reasons to cultivate word of mouth customers; they are generally less frustrating to work with, they more often pay on time and they are less apt to complain.  They come back more often and spend more when they do.  This is because they already trust you and know how you do business.  And more importantly, these referred customers are more apt to bring you more business.  It is the snowball effect.

One referral per customer per year can double your client base with no additional cost or effort on your part.  You can provide special opportunities for referring a new customer with incentives that keep your company in their consciousness when someone they know needs your service.

Don't pass up this opportunity to grow your business and allocate some of your marketing funds for this amazing method of generating business.  You will be rewarded with more buyers, profits and business with a successful viral marketing campaign.

An online business should consider viral ebooks as a method of word of mouth advertising.  A viral ebook is one that is intended to be passed around from person to person for no cost.  The key is to have links in it to your domain so that everyone who reads your ebook have the opportunity to visit your site.  The ebook is provided so that it can be passed around in forums, email and on social networking sites.  The object is to get your company name in front of as many people as possible by having readers pass the ebook to everyone they know.

A successful viral ebook must appeal to the passion of the readers so they will be prompted to pass it around to their sphere of influence.  A viral ebook is sent to an email list, the recipients then send it to everyone in their address book and so on.  The influence spreads just like any virus, thus the term, viral ebook marketing.

In order for a viral ebook to be great it must appeal to what your clients will find humorous and offer something new and personal.  Do something to get your readers to talking about your products to those they send the ebook on to.  Give them some benefits to pass on as a testimonial as to how some problem they had was solved by your ebook or product.