Let's Give Them Something to Talk About

Let's Give Them Something to Talk About

If you’ve heard of Uber, it probably isn’t due to a commercial, a sponsored ad on social media or even a billboard. Uber’s marketing strategy was built on the power of word-of-mouth through referrals, stunts and  partnerships. Uber adopted this model of advocacy very early on. After being a company valued at $62.5 billion, they can successfully say its marketing worked.

The first experience I had with Uber was with its referral program. I was visiting a friend at the University of Kentucky when we need a ride home from the basketball game. I had never heard of Uber before, but after being explained to me one of my friends sent me her referral code. This allowed us to not only get a free Uber ride, but also earn credits for her Uber account to use in the future. Uber managed to gain recognition, communicate who they are and what they do, get someone new to try its product and leave a lasting impression all by a referral program.

What I find brilliant about this referral program is the quick response and low cost aspect. Many referral programs I have come into contact with are for more expensive and long lasting programs. With Uber, you send a referral code, make an account and without spending any money they have you connected with its service and giving free rides to those who spread the word.

One of the keys to word-of-mouth marketing is to ensure that when the public works with your company, they are left satisfied. In order to keep its service the best possible, they created a way to review your driver. As we all know, Uber cannot be in every car ride making sure the service was successful. However, they can take feedback from its consumers and do its best to keep its driving experience the best it can be.

Lastly, its customers are proud to be loyal Uber riders. With Uber pulling crazy stunts like delivering passengers with famous musicians in its car, or having VIP capabilities to loyal customers, its riders are usually satisfied and continue to use its services. Uber has created an entirely new experience of car services that is made for anyone to use. They took the taxi service and revamped so many aspects of it including the way you pay, the way you locate one, the way you customize your experience, better cars and no tips.

Uber has revolutionized the ride-hailing service industry and seems to continue to win at the game. Its organic marketing strategy is something we can all learn from this interconnected world we live in. I admire the success behind this company and its growth in such a short period of time.

Have you used Uber before? What do you think about it and how did you hear about Uber in the first place –its referral program, a friend of yours or even a loyal customer?