Online word of mouth tools like viral email and blogs may get all the press attention, but real consumer-to-consumer communication still primarily happens offline. According to the April TalkTrack survey from Keller Fay Group, 92% of word of mouth conversations take place offline (71% face-to-face and 21% by phone). Just 6% of word of mouth took place via email, IM, blogs, and online chat rooms.
The survey also revealed a key aspect of what consumers are referencing when talking about brands in their conversations:
* 41% referenced something heard or seen in the media
* 15% referenced an ad
* 8% referenced editorial or entertainment content
* 5% referenced information given at the point of purchase
* 4% referenced a coupon or other promotion
Source: Keller Fay Group, "TalkTrack survey".
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Eighty-nine percent of Internet users share content via email, according to a Sharpe Partners study on viral marketing, and they do it often. More than half (63%) shared content at least once a week, and 25% shared almost daily. Ranked from most to least, the most popular content shared by email was:
1. Humor
2. News
3. Health care and medical information
4. Religious and spiritual material
5. Games
6. Business and personal finance information
7. Sports/hobbies
Source: Sharpe Partners, "Viral Marketing Survey".
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Word of mouth is a key influencer for new parents when making the decision on which digital camera to purchase. According to a report from Madison Direct Marketing, 15% of consumers indicated a referral from a friend or word of mouth was a key influencer. Nearly the same amount (14%) said recommendation from a friend would continue to be a key influencer in the future.
The report went on to recommend that marketers increase "discussion of the emotional benefits of a camera purchase (e.g. 'It's easy to capture every precious memory')" and de-emphasize "technical wizardry."
Source: Madison Direct Marketing, "Parents Mean Profits for the Photo Industry".
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