Let Her Be The Hero

I always wonder why more superheroes aren’t women. (Ok, maybe not The Hulk- you’d blow through a fortune in ripped designer blouses. “Oh for the love of God, not my Dolce & Gabbana! That’s the third one this week!”) But seriously. Women LOVE it when they get a chance to be a hero, especially to people they care about most.

Want her to talk about your service, pass along her friends’ emails, encourage others to buy your products? Let her be the hero.

Here’s the simple formula:
Create a special offer/exclusive access/upgrade that she can give to her friends.  Many word-of-mouth campaigns promote a special offer to her (your existing customer):  “For every friend you recommend us to, we’ll give you an additional $10 coupon.”

That’s great for her, but she may feel like she is “selling out” her friends for personal gain.

Here’s a better offer:
“Get exclusive access to our new product. You and five friends can get a free sample and $10 off coupon. You and your friends will be one of the first to get this special preview of our great new product.”

Terrific! Now she gets something special, but she can also pass along an exclusive offer to her friends. She gets to be the hero because she has access to this exclusive offer and savings and can pass along this special treat to people she cares about.

Remember, word-of-mouth works better if it allows her to strengthen, rather than take advantage of her relationships.