What Word of Mouth Marketing Is Not

Word of Mouth Marketing Is Not Putting Words in the Mouths of Others, by Mike | Techdirt — Word of mouth marketing is incredibly powerful, but as this excellent article states, once it becomes institutionalized or industrialized it ceases to be word of mouth marketing entirely.

My main form of advertising has always been word of mouth. The court of public opinion can be fickle, but you can't fault it for efficiency. I believe that if I am really who I say I am, it will be apparent to every one of my clients that they can recommend me to their friends and colleagues. Conversely, if I am a cheat, or unreliable, or noncommunicative, I know that my clients will spread the word of that as well. Positive advertising is effective, but negative advertising spreads twice as fast and reaches many more ears.