How Word of Mouth Works?
Two useful models when looking at how word of mouth works are the ‘s-curve’ and ‘tipping point’ model, and the flywheel model.
The s-curve and tipping point model
The way businesses grow is sometimes compared with the spread of disease and Malcolm Gladwell has popularised this concept in The Tipping Point (2000).
He describes how both viral epidemics and the successful uptake of new ideas follow the same ‘s-curve’. With both business and disease, there is a gestation period at first while the disease or idea germinates.
Then a ‘tipping point’ is reached where the disease or idea either fizzles out or accelerates unexpectedly and rapidly up the steepest part of the s-curve. The s-curve can be illustrated by the uptake of new technologies such as the Internet, mobile phone and iPods. Whether or not a business accelerates up the steep slope of the s-curve depends largely on word of mouth, but not everyone has the same degree of influence.
Related posts:
- How Word of Mouth Works? Part (2) If you want to run a successful wordof- mouth campaign,...
- How Word of Mouth Works? Part (3) Laggards (16%) are the last to adopt a new innovation....
- How to Use Word of Mouth and Referrals Technique Part (2) They found their credentials counted for nothing and they had...
- How to Use Word of Mouth and Referrals Technique Word of mouth is the most powerful and satisfying way...
- Ways of Accelerating word-of-mouth Business Do a short survey of your current customers and clients...