Word of mouth is one of the most powerful integrated marketing communication tools available to any company today, and it doesn’t cost much to harness the energy of enthusiastic cheerleaders. Here are some low–cost suggestions for building brand awareness:

If your product or service is a onetime or infrequent purchase, consider creating an alumni club. Reward past customers with a gift card when they send you a new client, and reward the new client with a gift too.

Create a referral form and give it to customers when they leave your offices, or mail it to them. The time to tap into a customer’s personal network is when you’ve successfully solved their problem or sold them a product that does the same.

Give referrals to prospects who turn you down. Lawyers, accountants, insurance agents, and others sometimes meet with a prospect, and the chemistry just isn’t right. The smart thing to do is to refer that prospect to a competitor, who may return the favor later.

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