Word of mouth isn't some happy accident that happens to "cool" brands while everyone else struggles in silence. Honestly, most people think you just make a great product, sit back, and wait for the praise to roll in. It doesn't work like that. If you want to give them something to talk about, you have to bake the conversation directly into the DNA of what you’re doing.
People are bored.
We’re all drowning in a sea of "optimized" content and sterile corporate messaging that feels like it was written by a committee of people who have never actually used the internet. To break through that, you need a hook that triggers a physical need to share. This isn't just about being loud or controversial for the sake of it. It’s about understanding the psychology of social currency.
The Psychology of Social Currency
Why do we tell our friends about that one weird coffee shop or the software update that actually fixed a problem we didn't know we had? Because it makes us look good. According to Jonah Berger, a Wharton professor and author of Contagious, social currency is one of the primary drivers of why things go viral. People share things that make them look smart, "in the know," or funny.
If your brand is boring, sharing it makes the consumer look boring.
Think about the "Secret Menu" at In-N-Out Burger. It’s not really a secret; you can find the whole list on their website. But by keeping it off the physical menu boards in the stores, they give them something to talk about. When you order a burger "Animal Style," you feel like an insider. You’re part of the tribe. You’ve got the "secret code." That feeling is what drives the recommendation, not just the quality of the Thousand Island dressing.
👉 See also: Why Toys R Us is Actually Making a Massive Comeback Right Now
Creating a Remarkable Hook
Most businesses are terrified of being polarizing. They want to be liked by everyone, which usually means they end up being remembered by no one. Seth Godin famously talked about the "Purple Cow." If you’re driving past a field of brown cows, you don't even notice them. But a purple cow? You stop. You take a picture. You tell your family.
To give them something to talk about, you have to find your "purple" factor.
Take the brand Liquid Death. It’s just water in a can. Water! But they branded it like a high-energy tallboy beer with heavy metal aesthetics and the slogan "Murder Your Thirst." They took the most boring product on the planet and made it a conversation piece at parties. Suddenly, drinking water became a lifestyle statement rather than a biological necessity.
Breaking the Pattern
Humans are wired for pattern recognition. We tune out the expected. If you see a billboard for a law firm and it features a guy in a suit with his arms crossed, your brain deletes it instantly.
But what if that billboard shows the lawyer in a luchador mask?
✨ Don't miss: Price of Tesla Stock Today: Why Everyone is Watching January 28
Now you’re paying attention. You might think it’s unprofessional, or you might think it’s hilarious, but you’re definitely talking about it. That disruption is the catalyst. You have to break the script of your industry. If everyone in your space is professional and "buttoned up," try being radically transparent or even a little irreverent. If everyone is high-tech and sleek, try a lo-fi, hand-drawn approach.
The "Remarkability" Filter
Before you launch any campaign, ask yourself: "Would anyone tell their best friend about this over a beer?"
If the answer is "probably not," then you haven't given them something to talk about yet. You’re just adding to the noise. This applies to your customer service, too. Zappos became a billion-dollar company not because they sold shoes—everyone sells shoes—but because their customer service stories were legendary. They once stayed on a support call for over ten hours just to help a customer. That’s a story. That’s a hook.
Misconceptions About Going Viral
There’s this weird myth that you need a million-dollar budget to get people talking. Total nonsense.
In 2024 and 2025, we saw a massive shift toward "raw" content. The more polished a video looks, the more our brains flag it as an "ad" and skip it. Some of the most successful word-of-mouth campaigns started as a single, shaky phone video. The value isn't in the production; it’s in the insight.
🔗 Read more: GA 30084 from Georgia Ports Authority: The Truth Behind the Zip Code
- Myth 1: You need to be on every platform.
- Reality: You need to be where your "sneezers" are. (Godin’s term for people who spread ideas).
- Myth 2: Negative talk is bad.
- Reality: Unless it’s about your product failing or being unethical, a little bit of friction is good. It creates a debate.
The Role of Scarcity and Exclusivity
Nothing gets people talking like being told they can't have something.
When Gmail first launched, it was invite-only. People were literally selling invites on eBay. It wasn't because the email service was life-changingly better than Yahoo or Hotmail at the time; it was because the scarcity created a social hierarchy.
You can apply this in small ways. Maybe you have a "Product of the Month" that only 50 people can buy. Maybe your service is only available to people who pass a certain "test" or meet a specific criteria. By narrowing the gate, you increase the value of what’s inside.
Practical Steps to Generate Buzz
Don't wait for luck.
Start by identifying the "Unspoken Truths" in your industry. Every industry has things that everyone knows but nobody says out loud. If you’re the one to say them, you immediately become the center of the conversation.
- Audit your touchpoints. Look at your confirmation emails, your packaging, and your "About Us" page. Are they boring? Change them. Add a joke. Add a weird fact. Make the unboxing experience so visually interesting that people feel compelled to film it.
- Lean into the weird. What is the one thing about your business that makes people do a double-take? Amplify it. If your office is in an old converted haunted house, mention that in every interview.
- Empower your fans. Give your best customers the tools to talk about you. This could be high-quality stickers, a referral program that actually feels rewarding, or just asking them for their opinion on a new feature.
- Be a human. Use "I" instead of "We." Admit when you mess up. Share the "behind the scenes" mess. People talk about people, not faceless entities.
The goal isn't to create a "viral video." The goal is to be a brand worth mentioning. When you consistently give them something to talk about, you turn your customers into your marketing department. That is the only sustainable way to grow in an era where everyone is trying to sell something.
Stop being a brown cow. Start being the reason someone pulls their car over to take a look.
Actionable Takeaways
- Identify your "Purple Cow": One thing you do radically differently than your three closest competitors.
- Update your "Thank You" page: Replace the generic text with something memorable, like a video of your team doing a 5-second dance.
- Find a "Sneezing" segment: Reach out to five niche influencers who don't just have followers, but have conversations with their audience.
- Reverse the script: If your industry is traditionally expensive and slow, find a way to offer a "Fast & Cheap" version that targets a specific pain point.