Tracking ‘word of mouth’ referrals is essential for figuring out which tools and topics are working and which aren’t.
There are some great partners out there who can help you, but here are three quick ways to get started right now:
- Tweak your forms
First off a quick and easy way to start getting some insight into how many of your customers are coming via word of mouth is to simply…. Ask them. Try adding a line to your contact and order forms asking visitors how they heard about you.
- Add simple share tracking
Adding basic sharing tools to your online content is both a way to make it easier for the word to spread as well as easier for you to track the buzz. Both Facebook and Twitter offer simple HTML codes for tracking that can be added to any content. You’ll not only see the sharing of your content increase, but you’ll also have instant numbers for it as well.
- Look at your order codes
The next time you run a direct mail or email campaign, try giving each recipient a unique coupon code — and then watch for how many people other than those who received the code use it. More than some instant overall WOM data, you’ll potentially be able to analyze who your most influential talkers are.
Sure, it requires a little more planning than a simple form tweak or some HTML on a website, but you’ll quickly be able to show how your word of mouth is directly driving sales.