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Concept
Word of mouth
Word of mouth is one person vouching for you to another. It carries borrowed trust, which is why it is the most powerful and the least controllable form of growth.
Why it matters
When someone a person already trusts vouches for you, they arrive believing. That is trust at scale, earned the only way it lasts.
Common misconceptions
- That word of mouth is luck. It is the predictable result of being genuinely worth talking about.
- That it can be bought. Paid mouths are just advertising wearing a costume, and people can eventually tell.
How it connects
- CommunityCommunity is word of mouth with a home.
- TrustWord of mouth transfers trust between people.
- ReputationIt is how reputation actually travels.
- DistributionThe cheapest and most credible distribution there is.
Essays exploring it
Essays on this idea are being written. They will gather here.
Books that shaped my thinking
The books behind this idea will appear here as the shelf grows.
Case studies applying it
Real work applying this idea will be linked here.