How Word of Mouth Can Make or Break Your Business – And What to Do About It

There’s a reason word of mouth (“WOM”) is often considered the most powerful form of marketing: it’s organic, cost-effective, and lightning fast. A single positive or negative conversation can echo across networks, impacting your reputation, growth, and bottom line. But here’s the truth most businesses miss: you can engineer word of mouth. And when done right, you can dramatically shorten the customer decision cycle, improve loyalty, and increase profitability.

At Kolaco, we specialize in transforming businesses by leveraging WOM as a strategic growth tool. By combining insights from our training modules and David Kolakowski’s book Tell Me More, we guide companies toward creating customer experiences so compelling, they become contagious.

Understanding the Dual Nature of WOM

WOM is a double-edged sword. When customers are thrilled, they tell their friends, post glowing reviews, and advocate on your behalf. But a single bad experience? It spreads like wildfire. Especially in the digital age, where social media amplifies voices exponentially.

That’s why your first goal should be making it easy for customers to say good things about you.

Start by looking at your business through the lens of customer friction:

• Are your benefits and guarantees clearly articulated?
• Is your messaging consistent and credible?
• Are you easy to reach, quick to respond, and reliable in delivery?

Kolaco training teaches clients to assess and optimize each of these touchpoints. In our Customer Experience Optimization module, we provide tools to help businesses spot the obstacles slowing down the customer journey and fix them.

The Power of Shortening the Decision Cycle

Did you know that the time it takes a customer to decide can outweigh every other marketing effort you deploy?

Here’s why decision speed matters:

• Faster decisions = more frequent purchases
• Confidence = higher dollar transactions
• Ease = more referrals

By removing ambiguity and creating a seamless decision-making process, you increase the likelihood of repeat business. Our Kolaco Decision Maker Matrix helps clients map buyer types—Innovators, Early Adopters, Middle Majority, Late Majority, and Laggards—to the specific messaging and tactics that work best for them.

For example:

• Innovators want to be first, so let them beta test.
• Middle Majority needs social proof, so give them testimonials.
• Laggards want safety, so show them guarantees.

The Tell Me More method dives deeper into this by teaching businesses how to shift their messaging from “features” to compelling, curiosity-piquing benefits.

The Nine Levels of Word of Mouth

Not all WOM is created equal. Kolaco trains businesses to assess their current WOM score using the Nine Levels of Word of Mouth framework:

• -4: Scandal (Your brand is in trouble—think public recalls or fraud.)
• -3: Active boycotts (People are warning others to stay away.)
• -2: Negative mentions (People express dissatisfaction when asked.)
• -1: Mild dissatisfaction (They’re not impressed, and they’ll say so.)
• 0: Neutral (No one is talking about you—a dangerous no-man’s-land.)
• +1: Mild approval (Satisfied, but not vocal.)
• +2: Positive reviews (Happy to share when asked.)
• +3: Active evangelism (They go out of their way to recommend you.)
• +4: Viral buzz (Your brand is the talk of the town.)

Want to find your current score? See if you qualify for our FREE Business Assessment and get clarity fast.

Build Systems That Trigger +4 Word of Mouth

So how do you move the needle to +4?

1. Simplify the Customer Journey: Streamline the steps it takes to understand, try, and buy your product.
2. Make Guarantees Rock Solid: Reduce perceived risk with bold promises.
3. Showcase Testimonials: Feature them throughout your site and email sequences.
4. Encourage Sharing: Create incentives, referral programs, and “Tell a Friend” campaigns.
5. Deliver the Unexpected: Add small “wow” moments to your service delivery.

Our Sales Presentation and Conversion module in Kolaco coaching walks you through how to set this up.

Your Takeaway

Word of Mouth can either catapult your business or crush it. With the right systems, training, and strategy, you can create advocates who do your marketing for you. And with Kolaco, you won’t be doing this alone.

🚀 Start by signing up to see if you qualify for our FREE Assessment and identify which areas of your customer journey are slowing growth.  This FREE Assessment will result in a roadmap for your growth plan. 

📘 Then read Tell Me More by David Kolakowski on Amazon to learn how better conversations drive bigger profits.