There's no better advertising than word-of-mouth.
After all, a customer who calls you following a
personal recommendation from a friend or
colleague is more likely to buy. And that makes
the pursuit of positive word-of-mouth every
entrepreneur's holy grail. The following are
three major word-of-mouth marketing that will
substantially increase your business.

Marketing to influencers: I believe your
community has them. Whether they're into
electronics or fashion, "influencers" are at the
head of every trend. Not only do they know which
restaurant has the "in" chef or where to shop for
the perfect athletic shoe, they're also happy to
tell all their friends and associates about them.

So how do you think can you find influencers and
get them talking about you? Here is what you can
do. Open up dialogue by listening to customers
and welcoming their comments--both positive and
negative--through your website. Then identify the
most active participants and invite them to
become part of an influential group that's first
to gain information on or access to new products
and services.

Winning PR coverage: Information found in
editorial coverage is generally considered more
credible than the messages consumers receive in
advertising. There are dedicated publications as
well as thousands of websites run by journalists
covering every imaginable subject, so it's simply
a matter of identifying the top editors or
journalists who write about what you market.
Tailor your message or stories specifically to
them, then send your press releases or pitch
letters. After which, follow up by phone or e-
mail where appropriate.

Seeding viral marketing: Viral marketing succeeds
when you have a topic that motivates customers to
talk and you give them the means to share that
conversation. Provide an infrastructure, such as
an interactive website dedicated to creating a
strong online community, and facilitate
connections by using a company blog, message
board or forums. You can also give customers
something interesting that they can pass along.
When you put a special offer in an e-mail, for
example, it becomes an easy-to-forward means of
building buzz.

You might also want to consider adding an element
of fun, mystery or excitement--with a built-in
product or brand message--and your word of moth
marketing will surely follow.