Trend Report

Peer Influence In An Unstable Economy

Tap Consumer Trust In Each Other To Build Brand Relationships

Josh Bernoff
 and  two contributors
Feb 17, 2009

Summary

Marketers should prioritize energizing customers over just talking to them when the economy is this unstable. Why? Consumers trust word of mouth most — and it has proven business impact. Most marketers' customers are open to sharing content; 59% of US online adults and 67% of online youth exchange information online at least once a month. Technologies like reviews and ambassador programs help inform and encourage consumers to spread their influence. To successfully get customers to share company messages, marketers must tap into their audiences' interests, recognize word-of-mouth participation, and provide pass-along items to extend consumers' initial brand experiences.

Log in to continue reading
Client log in
Welcome back. Log in to your account to continue reading this research.
Become a client
Become a client today for these benefits:
  • Stay ahead of changing market and customer dynamics with the latest insights.
  • Partner with expert analysts to make progress on your top initiatives.
  • Get answers from trusted research using Izola, Forrester's genAI tool.
Purchase this report
This report is available for individual purchase ($1495).