Here are some statistics that may help convince you:
- According to management consulting firm McKinsey, about two-thirds of all economic activity in the United States is influenced by shared opinions about a product, brand, or service.
- According to KnowledgeStorm, just more than half of B2B buyers researching IT solutions cite word of mouth as an important decision-making source, and
- almost 40 percent specifically cite online forms and communities.
- Influential people (meaning those people in your life whose opinions you value significantly) are particularly likely to be sought out for computer purchasing decisions (34 percent vs. 16 percent of the general population).
- About half of all online marketers are involved in some form of word - of - mouth or viral activity. In fact, many Fortune 500 marketers like those at Coca-Cola have been quoted as saying that viral marketing efforts allow them to connect with their targets in ways that would never be approved for “traditional” venues.