Hand to Mouth Marketing

By Lee W. Fredericksen, Ph.D.

Every once in a while you come across a phrase that really captures the essence of what a business situation is all about. “Bootstrap Financing” or “Gorilla Marketing” are a couple of examples that come to mind. I just heard a new one that I can’t resist sharing.

It’s “hand to mouth marketing.” When I heard it from my son Nathan, I asked him where he had first heard it. He responded that he had “just made it up” to describe the story I had been regaling him with. Of course, I immediately told him that I was stealing it. (So if you’ve heard the term somewhere else, Nathan, you are so busted.)

Here is the story that defines the term. I had just received a call from a prospect that had just awarded us a major rebranding project. It was notable for a couple of reasons.

First, the business development process, from finding us online through the close, worked exactly the as we'd planned it — and that’s a beautiful thing.

Second, the new client described their very thorough selection process and concluded that we were the best professional services branding firm in the country for their business… heady stuff.

I went on to explain that as soon as I hung up the phone I got a call from another prospect and used the opportunity to retell the story to illustrate how marketing can power firm growth.

Hand to mouth marketing in action. Something good happens, use it now. Very descriptive.

I’ve since reflected on the experience and realized the benefits of hand to mouth marketing.

1. It’s extremely quick cycling. You can get a feel if something works right away. If it does, keep using it.
2. It’s real. You are relaying real events as they happen. By definition it’s authentic.
3. It’s almost the opposite of a canned, jargon-filled briefing. It shows that you are actively engaged with the topic at hand.

 
There are, of course, some downsides. Such an approach can take you off message. It also feels awfully undisciplined and can interfere with a consistent message. But, hey, you are improvising… sort of living (or marketing) “hand to mouth.”

What do you think. Does it work for you?