According to Ed Keller, a research and
marketing consultant, word of mouth marketing is more important now than ever. "The word of friends and family is valued 1.5 times more than it was in the 1970s. Consumers are more confident in taking
decision in their own hands."
And it can work for anyone, even a pizza restaurant, which asked customers to order pizza online and post reviews. They also opened a chat room and
started publishing email newsletters containing a game with prizes like redeemable coupons. The end result: many more customers for his restaurant than previous TV efforts.
David Hallerman, an eMarketer analyst says that buzz marketing is often more effective for smaller businesses, even though companies of all sizes can find that kind of success.