Introduction
Reverse marketing is a strategy that encourages customers to spread information about a product or service to those around them, rather than relying simply on advertising. Its objective is to generate exposure both on the Internet and through word-of-mouth. The term has been used to describe a range of strategies and tactics, but generally speaking, reverse marketing can involve using a range of incentives to encourage customers to talk to their friends and colleagues in addition to relying on a companys own advertising campaigns.
Benefits of Reverse Marketing
Reverse marketing can be an extremely effective marketing strategy. As people generally trust their friends and family more than they trust advertisements, their recommendations can carry significant weight. Reverse marketing can capitalize on this, by providing customers with incentives to tell their friends and family about a product or service.
In addition, reverse marketing can be relatively inexpensive compared to traditional marketing methods. It does not require a large advertising budget; rather, it requires that a company develop a strategy to reward its customers for doing the marketing for them. It can also be used to track the effectiveness of a campaign, since customers who have received a reward for referring the product or service can be identified.
Examples of Reverse Marketing
Referral Programs
Many companies offer referral programs as a form of reverse marketing. These programs offer customers a reward for referring friends or family to their product or service. This could be anything from discounts, gift cards, or cash payments. These programs are often successful because they reward customers for their loyalty and give them an incentive to spread the word without relying on high advertising costs.
Sponsorship
Another form of reverse marketing is sponsorship. This involves finding prominent people in the community such as online influencers, celebrities, or even average people with a large number of followers and offering them incentivized sponsorship. This incentivized sponsorship might be in the form of free merchandise, discounts, or even money. People are more likely to trust influencers or a famous face when hearing their opinion, and so offering companies the ability to tap into this can provide credibility and a trustworthy level of exposure.
Conclusion
Reverse marketing can be an extremely effective marketing strategy for companies, as it can spread word about their product or service to potential customers at relatively low costs. It allows customers to provide legitimate and trustworthy referrals and sets up an incentive for customers to recommend the company to their friends and family. Moreover, it helps companies track how much of a product or service they are actually selling. Whether it be referral programs or incentivized sponsorship, using a combination of reverse marketing tactics can open up opportunities for companies to increase their exposure without relying on expensive ad campaigns.