Surprise people, they’ll talk about you. Promise, instead of surprising, and you only raise expectations.

There are three kinds of word-of-mouth. Only two can be affected by your advertising.

Pay close attention to Stephanie’s story:

“Roger’s feet get cold easily, so I bought him a pair of sheepskin slippers. He loved them, but it wasn’t long before the wool lining started wearing off. So I called Lands’ End to

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Word-of-mouth occurs when, through surprise, your customer has become emotional about you.

It can happen when astonishment leaves her delighted. Alternately, it can happen when disillusion causes dismay. The first produces positive word-of-mouth. The second, negative.

But either way, for…

Your friend is raving about a movie his wife has dragged him to. He says he’s glad she insisted, because it turned out to be the best crime drama he’s seen in years.

He’s so enthusiastic that you decide to…