The Impact of Source Credibility / Expertise, Service Quality, Relationship and Message Characteristic to the Word Of Mouth Effectiveness

Abstract

Nowadays due to strong competition in the business environment, only those organizations are successful that they can use the most innovative and successful ways for advertisement to attract their consumers’ attention to the products or services that they provide. One of the ways that they can be distinguished from others and achieve competitive advantage is using word of mouth. Although many studies demonstrate that word of mouth are effective in influencing consumers, but very few study go in depth on how to make the word of mouth to become more effective and its determinant. The purpose of this study is to develop a conceptual framework on the potential effects of variables on word of mouth effectiveness. A thorough review of literature reveals four mainstreams of factors affecting word of mouth effectiveness with one mediator. These includes source expertise, service quality, interpersonal relationship and message
characteristic. The study expects to make key contributions to business in setting their marketing strategies and developing long term relationship with customers.