Word-of-Mouth Is Brand Preference in Action
Why Your Future Growth Depends on What People Say When You’re Not in the Room
You can buy clicks.
You can’t buy love.
And you definitely can’t buy word-of-mouth.
But you can earn it.
And when you do?
It’s the most powerful—and most cost-effective—growth engine your brand will ever have.
Let’s Talk About Word-of-Mouth (WOM) Like It Actually Matters
Most marketers still treat WOM like some mythical byproduct of “good vibes” or “great service.”
But in reality, it’s the clearest signal that your brand is resonating at a human, emotional level.
It’s Brand Preference made visible.
As we say at Stone Owl:
If they’re talking about you, recommending you, choosing you again and again—that’s not luck. That’s love.
And the best part? It’s free.
The Data Proves It: Preference = Profit
Codie Sanchez broke this down in Main Street Millionaire, and the stats are wild:
93% of customers read reviews before making a purchase
90%+ won’t touch a product with less than 3.5 stars
58% will pay more and wait longer for a better-reviewed option
Unhappy customers are 10x more likely to leave a review
Which means:
If they love you, they’ll sell for you.
If they don’t, you’ll pay to replace them—and then some.
And let’s not forget the ultimate growth hack: Your existing customers.
Selling to them means:
$0 customer acquisition cost
Built-in trust
Bias in your favor (confirmation + recency)
Purchase history you can act on
A direct line to their inbox, phone, and heart
So while everyone else is dumping budget into chasing strangers, you’re nurturing your biggest opportunity: the ones who already believe.
Brand Preference Powers Word-of-Mouth
You don’t get reviews, referrals, or retention without emotional connection.
You get those things when your brand means something.
When it stands for something.
When it taps into a shared mindset and becomes part of someone’s identity.
And that’s why Brand Preference is so much more than “brand love.”
It’s love with consequence.
It’s what keeps people talking.
It’s what makes them defend you in a group chat.
It’s what makes them say: “You’ve gotta try this.”
Word-of-mouth doesn’t start with a discount code.
It starts with meaning.
Your Next Customer Is Listening
You don’t need a Super Bowl ad.
You need the right people to say the right things about you—to the right others.
That’s how brands grow now.
Trust is the new media plan.
And preference is the only metric that measures it.
Want More Word-of-Mouth? Start by Building Brand Preference.
The Brand Preference Health Check-Up is a 60-minute Zoom session that reveals what your audience really thinks about your brand.
No fluff. No jargon. Just truth—and a next-day action plan to start building Brand Preference fast.
Or download the 10-minute read Do Consumers Love Your Brand? Why Brand Preference is the Only Metric That Matters to see why Brand Preference is the only thing you should be focusing on.
If you want people talking—give them something worth talking about.
