Pippa Shakespeare’s Post

View profile for Pippa Shakespeare, graphic

Social media strategy for Professional Services ♦️ Working with the Marketing Managers and leaders of PS/FS/B2B firms ♦️ Strategy maker & mentor ♦️ Once rode an ostrich

Don’t get me started on Word-of-Mouth 🤬 “She’s always booked up – she won’t have capacity for your project”. “I’m not sure she works with businesses like yours”. “She doesn’t do Reels training”… Just some of the things people could be saying about me and my business, that are generally untrue. Ok, the last one is true. I can’t say this enough; Word-of-Mouth is not a reliable marketing strategy. Not for a one-man-band Consultant like me, nor a 50+ person firm like yours. Word-of-Mouth might be free and require little to no effort on your part, but it puts your brand and reputation in other people’s hands. Not only are you unable to see or hear exactly what people are saying about your business, but you have no control of the narrative; no means of altering perceptions or responding to untruths. If you’re happy for potential clients to believe that your tech and comms are a bit outdated, that you need to be making more of an effort on your ESG agenda, or that you aren’t very good at the client care/follow up, then fill your boots with that Word-of-Mouth strategy. But if I were in your shoes, I know I’d rather be relying on a cross-channel marketing strategy with social media at its heart. #B2BMarketing #ProfessionalServices #SocialMediaMarketing #SocialMediaStrategy

  • Photo of the post author, Pippa Shakespeare, sitting at her desk looking at something on her phone and smiling.
Kaye King, Marketing Mentor

I make marketing feel more human and less icky so you can stop avoiding it 😉| Group and 1:1 marketing training and marketing coaching | Marketing mentor💃 Rediscover your new client happy dance. (We all do that right?)

6mo

This is such a great point Pippa. It's great when a good referral pops up out of the blue but as you so rightly say, we have no real control over them, and it's not something to rely on. It can work when you're intentionally encouraging people to refer you (and by being very clear who you help, how you help, and why you're different), but always as part of a multi-channel approach.

Ellie Botwood

Global PR, Social Media & Events Consultant @ BOT INC.

6mo

Ha!! I get referred and then get people sending me their 'urgent' briefs with a deadline without even asking if I'm free first! I love referrals but let me be the judge if I want to work on your project at break neck speed for normally half the cost. Thanking you!

See more comments

To view or add a comment, sign in

Explore topics