Chocolate, Pretzels, and the Power of Word of Mouth

There's no denying the truth. I love chocolate. In fact, it’s one of the many things that bonds me to my Alley sisters. Now put chocolate over pretzels and I’m gone. As in, gone to heaven and don’t want to return to reality any time soon.

So this is what prompted a very intellectual discussion at a recent haircut of mine. A commercial for pretzel M&Ms came on in the background, and my stylist and I got talking about them.

I said, “Y’know, I really don’t care for pretzel M&Ms.” [Don’t worry, M&M makers, you’ve hooked me with your peanut butter M&Ms] “They just don’t have enough pretzel flavor for me. If I want that combo, I’ll eat chocolate-covered pretzels.”

Her reply: “Have you ever tried Take 5 bars? They’ve got chocolate, pretzels, caramel, peanuts, and peanut butter.”

My jaw promptly dropped to my cape and I said, “Are you kidding me? That sounds amazing. I might just have to get one on my way home.”

And you know what? I did. And it was so good that I scarfed it down in minutes. And I’m secretly plotting how I can get my hands on another one and scarf it down this afternoon.

Now THAT is the power of word of mouth. A casual conversation about our favorite flavor combos, and *bam* I’m a customer for life.

That’s what we want to do with our fiction. We want to develop a brand that combines mouth-watering…er, page-turning…ingredients. And then we want to write another book with those elements and another book.

Because if we make a good enough combo (i.e., develop our craft skillfully), we’ll have people telling their friends about us. “You like a book that challenges your faith and makes you laugh until you snort? You’ve GOTTA check out Jenny Jones’ book Just Between You and Me.” “You want a book full of godly passion? I just read one of Julie Lessman’s books, and now I’m hooked.”

So keep working on your craft, keep pulling out those elements that are unique to you, and some day you’ll have readers passing on a good word. Oh, and feel free to eat a Take 5 bar while you’re at it.

Have you ever tried a new product or a new book based solely on someone's recommendation? Did you remain a fan for life? And since I'm in a chocolate kind of mood, tell me your favorite chocolate candy-bar combo.

*Chocolate bar photo by Graur Codrin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Sarah Forgrave is a stay-at-home writer-mom who feels blessed to pursue her calling and passion. She writes contemporary romance for the inspirational market and is a regular contributor to the webzine Ungrind.

To learn more about Sarah, visit her personal blog at:
http://www.sarahforgrave.com/blog