Book ~ "Talk Triggers: The Complete Guide to Creating Customers with Word of Mouth" (2018) Jay Baer and Daniel Lemin

From Goodreads ~ Word of mouth is directly responsible for 19% of all purchases and influences as much as 90%. Every human on earth relies on word of mouth to make buying decisions. Yet even today, fewer than 1% of companies have an actual strategy for generating these crucial customer conversations. "Talk Triggers" provides that strategy in a compelling, relevant, timely book that can be put into practice immediately, by any business.

The key to activating customer chatter is the realization that same is lame. Nobody says "let me tell you about this perfectly adequate experience I had last night." The strategic, operational differentiator is what gives customers something to tell a story about. Companies (including the 30+ profiled in "Talk Triggers") must dare to be different and exceed expectations in one or more palpable ways. That's when word of mouth becomes involuntary: the customers of these businesses simply MUST tell someone else.

Consumers are wired to discuss what is different and ignore what is average. "Talk Triggers" not only dares the reader to differentiate, it includes the precise formula for doing it.

Combining compelling stories, inspirational examples, and practical how-to, "Talk Triggers" is the first indispensable book about word of mouth. It's a book that will create conversation about the power of conversation. 

I find books about customer service and customer reactions interesting so that's why this book caught my eye ... it's about talk triggers and word-of-mouth marketing.  I'd never heard the term "talk triggers" before.

The sections are:

1. Why word of mouth works
2. The four talk trigger criteria - be remarkable, relevant, reasonable and repeatable
3. The five types of talk triggers - talkable empathy, talkable usefulness, talkable generosity, talkable speed and talkable attitude
4. Creating talk triggers in six steps - gather internal insights, get close to your customers, create candidate talk triggers, test and measure your talk triggers, expand and turn on and amplify your talk trigger
5. Appendix - summaries of the chapters including the key points and key data

I liked that there were case studies in all the chapters.  For example, they discussed how Doubletree Hotels by Hilton give you a warm cookie when you check in.  I've stayed at the Doubletree Hotel in Regina, SK, a few times and yes, they do give you a warm cookie (sometimes two!) when you check in.  And yes, I've told others about it and mentioned it in my blog posts and Yelp posts.  And yes, it is one of the reasons I stay at this hotel when I go to Regina.  I didn't realize there was a term for it (ie talk trigger).  The book also discusses Five Guys Burger and Fries.  I've had a burger and fries at a few of their restaurants.  Even if you are eating in, your order comes in a bag.  And regardless of the size of fries you order, they intentionally give you more (hence the bag) ... and yes, they do.  And yes, I have mentioned the abundance of fries in my blog posts and Yelp posts without realizing it was their talk trigger.