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3 surprises that get people talking

This is a post from our WordofMouth.org project. Check it out for more great word of mouth marketing tips like this every day.

Creating a lot of unexpected, surprising moments is a fantastic way to get people talking and to build word of mouth into more of your business. Three ways you could do it:

1. With upgrades
2. With extras
3. With humor

1. With upgrades

An unexpected upgrade can thrill your talkers. Think expedited shipping, sending them a better model, or giving them an upgraded level of service. And remember: With some budgeting and planning, you can keep this sort of stuff a surprise to your customers but not to your bottom line.

2. With extras

It’s hard for talkers to ignore the surprising little extras they get with their orders. You could try it with brand gear like hats, t-shirts, stickers, and pins — or you could experiment by throwing in extra products, something funky, or a snack (nobody complains about an extra chocolate bar). This is one of those techniques that just takes a little trial and error until you find what gets your talkers excited.

3. With humor

Here’s a surprise you can work in that takes less bucks and more brains: having a little fun. And when you do, think beyond the clever headlines on your homepage and try it with your legalese, your instruction manuals, the inside of your packaging — anywhere we’re not expecting it. To get an idea of how to do this, check out Virgin America’s goofy, creative, and educational safety videos (with more than 500,000 YouTube views).

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