Give 'em Something to Talk About

Of course, Zipcar has the luxury of competing with other players in its industry who have masterfully leeched out any trace of humanity or novelty in the rental experience. Even a parts-per-billion element of personality, if allowed to exist in this market, might create a word-of-mouth revolution: Ginger-scented air fresheners? A Frappuccino waiting in the cup holder? A car you might actually enjoy driving?

The fact is that talkability is not a reflex for most of us. We have to work at it. Many companies today seem to believe that word of mouth is something marketers conjure up after a product launch. That's a tough assignment, akin to hiring a PR agent to generate street buzz about your office's "white elephant" Christmas party. If you wanted buzz, wouldn't it have been a better investment to throw a cooler party?

Conversations can't be "snapped on" after the fact. You have to plan for them. So what's your plan? How can you give your customers something to talk about?

Fostering the conversation you want customers to have about your products should be an explicit part of product development.

1. The Doughnut
   Voodoo Doughnut in Portland, Oregon, has a cult following because its customers want to tell their friends about goodies such as glazed doughnuts rolled in Crunch Berries cereal.
2. The Smoothie
   How many people talk about their smoothie purchases? If the smoothie is wearing a wool cap knitted by a grandmother, they will.
3. The Policy
   Zipcar's policies create a conversation-worthy experience: Renters pay by the hour, gas and insurance are included, and the company doesn't charge for such amenities as satellite radio.

Read more Made to Stick columns

Chip Heath and Dan Heath are the best-selling authors of Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die. If you've been successful in efforts to design your products or services to spark conversations (or if you made a good attempt and failed), tell us about it. Email us at heaths@fastcompany.com.