Look Smart, Be Smart: A daily compendium of what you need to know to be effective as a word of mouth marketer.
Join us Wednesdays at noon EST for WOM Wednesdays, WOMMA's ongoing teleconference series. Just register, dial in, and listen up to get the ideas that will truly expand your marketing horizons. Wednesday, Apr. 2, at noon EST --> >> The...
On his blog, Web Strategy by Jeremiah, Jeremiah Owyang discusses the wealth of information available about social media users via the sites they populate -- especially teens, the majority of whom are active social media users. According to the post, these sites house everything from demographic data to information and likes, dislikes, and tastes, their technology uses and preferences, and their social networks. At the same time that this creates an enticing wealth of data, it also raises questions about privacy and what parents and teens should do to keep their private information private.
In his Marketing Profs article, Matt Dickman offers up some practical tips for keeping track of all of the conversations going on via Twitter without having to constantly refresh and without revolving all of your daily activities around the site. Some of his suggestions include compiling favorites into an RSS feed reader, using a searchable application such as twhirl, or using a web service such as FriendFeed to aggregate the information. With Twitter as with other social media platforms, the secret is to find a way to get something out of it without having to give it all of your time and attention.
ad:tech San Francisco | April 15 - 17, 2008 ----------------------------------- ad:tech, the premier interactive marketing event, comes to San Francisco with an exhibit hall of leading solutions providers and a speaker line-up of top executives from Coca-Cola, Nike, Target, Nestle,...
WOMM-U: Activating Networks, Influencers, and Communities May 8-9, 2008 | Miami, Fla. THE INAUGURAL WOMM HIGHER LEARNING CONFERENCE An intensive, 2-day WOMM experiential learning event from the official association of the WOMM industry -- WOMMA WOMM-U: Something completely new from...
Last week social encyclopedia Wikipedia accepted its ten millionth article entry. Articles on Wikipedia appear in more than 250 languages, and the site reached two million English language articles in September 2007.
Successful technology blog builders Michael Arrington, of TechCrunch fame, and Rafat Ali, PaidContent founder, sparred off in a recent New York Times article, each coming out with their views on what blogging is, as well as what the future of blogging looks like for their respective companies. Arrington's blog style is personalized and emotional, and he came out swinging on the side of organic growth in blogging business. Ali, alternatively, has a more reserved, journalistic blogging style, and sees blogs taking shape more like traditional media, covering news and a wide range of content categories.
To celebrate its employees, McDonalds created its Voice of McDonalds, which showcases McDonalds staffers vying for a $25,000 prize in a nation-wide singing contest. The program is good for the company's word of mouth in several different ways. For one, McDonalds is able to recognize and highlight some of the individuals who make up its work force. Secondly, because the final stages of the contest are decided by online vote, the finalists have a great incentive to spread the word about the contest to family and friends in hopes of sweeping the vote.
[Originally posted by Andy Sernovitz on Damn! I Wish I'd Thought of That!] Here's how you get really great at word of mouth marketing: * Pay attention to those moments when someone is making a recommendation. * Look for ways...
[Originally posted by Lois Kelly on bloghound] After a hectic week of meetings and presentations I was reflecting on why so much of the communications fell flat, failing to motivate or influence. The speakers and meeting leaders were smart, experienced...
[Originally posted by Spike on Brains on Fire] So before you plunk down a quarter of a million for a new 200mph toy, you’d want to make sure that you are the only one on your block, your city or...
We are constantly adding valuable word of mouth marketing whitepapers, research studies, essays, opinion papers, and other content to WOMMA's member center. These are just a few of the NEW items you'll find there: Net Promoter Economics: The Impact of...
A newly launched Facebook application, called Loladex -- a local search engine that uses ratings and recommendations from the social networking site to influence search relevance -- is creating a buzz. As the application is used by Facebook users, it will be populated with ratings and recommendations information, as well as with information from third party sources.
On The Community Guy blog, Jake McKee gives some tips for creating an event that gets employees and customers under the same roof, working together, and collaborating and communicating effectively. Events like these, which bring a diversity of perspectives together, have the potential to reap incredible insights for an organization -- but only if they're executed effectively.
If you're planning to attend WOMMA's WOMM-U conference, which is taking place May 8-9, 2008 in Miami, Fla., you need to reserve your hotel room ASAP to lock in our fantastic rates. WOMMA has roped off a block of rooms...
In February, traffic to The Huffington Post blog beat out The Drudge Report with 3.7 million unique views, according to research from Nielsen Online, and Technorati ranks the site as the second-most-linked-to blog behind only TechCrunch. This New York Times article investigates the secrets behind The Huffington Post's rising status, including its "internet newspaper" aspirations, which might lead to sections focused on local content and a broader range of subject matter.
In a recent ClickZ column, WOMMA Board member Pete Blackshaw took a close look at how Zappos.com is using its amazing brand of customer service to create the kind of customer loyalty and repeat purchasing patterns that legends are made of. According to Blackshaw, 75% of the company's sales come from return customers, and those customers are coming back based in large part on the company's phenomenal customer service model, as well as because of its unique corporate culture.
WOMMA would like to take a moment to introduce you to WOMM-U Faculty member Erin Bryne. Erin is Chief Digital Strategist at WOMMA member company Burson-Marsteller, and has a long background in new media, having worked on web initiatives since 1993 for diversified clients encompassing online strategy and research, marketing communications, design/development, viral marketing and interactive advertising.
Erin helps clients develop their overall digital strategy ensuring that digital is appropriately represented within a client's overall marketing and communications plan. One of Erin's most notable client engagements includes managing the interactive program for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing's "New Color of Money" program. Burson-Marsteller was honored with Yahoo's Big Idea Purple Chair Award for excellence in integrated marketing based on the New Color of Money program.
Additionally, Erin continually advises clients on how to utilize digital communications in online PR, including reputation management, CGM, search marketing, and more. In today’s environment of real-time branding, Erin works with clients to help them understand the issues and opportunities of digital communications. WOMMA is happy to welcome Erin to WOMM-U as one of our esteemed faculty members!
To meet Erin and other WOMM-U Faculty members, peruse the agenda, check out the keynote presentations, or to register, visit:
http://www.womma.org/wommu
[Originally posted by Lois Kelly on bloghound] I love and hate shopping. Love finding quality products at bargain prices, but hate having to go to stores and wade through all the stuff. Now one of my favorite bargain-hunting haunts, Marshalls,...
[Originally posted by Kelly LaVaute on What's the Diff?] We got an e-mail today from our Chairman, Dan Gilbert which almost sent the majority of Quicken Loans team members hightailing it down one of the busiest roads in Michigan -...
We are constantly adding valuable word of mouth marketing whitepapers, research studies, essays, opinion papers, and other content to WOMMA's member center. These are just a few of the NEW items you'll find there: Net Promoter Economics: The Impact of...
On her blog, Andrea Goulet, Senior Copywriter at Capital One, offers up ten tactics for getting your fans to say something nice about you. Whether you're looking for a little brand evangelism or a personal endorsement, here are some quick tips for how to get it.
Social gaming is upping the ante (pardon the pun) in the online gaming world, exposing new demographics to online games and giving them an added incentive to use it. Game-based applications on social networking sites have been some of the most popular and have users flocking to use them. And for long-time online gamers, the advent of social gaming allows them to double up their online efforts and communicate with members of their social networks while playing.
If you're planning to attend WOMMA's WOMM-U conference, which is taking place May 8-9, 2008 in Miami, Fla., you need to reserve your hotel room ASAP to lock in our fantastic rates. WOMMA has roped off a block of rooms...
According to this article from the BBC, the reported slow down in online social network growth is less a sign of its imminent demise and more a natural phenomenon in the growth of any trend. Eventually, terminal velocity is inevitable with any trend. That said, to stay viable, online social networks are going to have to continue to evolve, taking on new roles within their populations and incorporating new ways to be useful and relevant.
Customers that spend the most money aren't necessarily your most valuable, according to this article in Portfolio. Customers that spread the word about your product or service, and in doing so bring in loads of new customers, are bigger boosts to your organization's pocketbook. This article investigates the methodology that V. Kumar, J. Andrew Petersen, and Robert P. Leone detail in their Harvard Business Review article for finding and communicating with the customers who have the most WOM potential -- and how to get the most WOM action from them.
WOMMA would like to take a moment to introduce you to WOMM-U Faculty member Blake Cahill of WOMMA member company Visible Technologies, where Blake is responsible for executing marketing strategies, thought leadership, and analyst relations to increase market and customer awareness for revenue growth.
Blake has more than 15 years of executive management experiences leading marketing, sales, product management, and customer support organizations both domestically and internationally in a variety of technology, consumer, and telecommunications companies such as AT&T, Belgacom, Qwest, SBC, and ServiceMaster.com. Through these experiences, Blake has developed unique insights about the intersections of customer experience, brands, and technology -- and WOMMA is thrilled to have him share those insights with our WOMM-U attendees as a WOMM-U Faculty member.
To meet Blake and other WOMM-U Faculty members, peruse the agenda, check out the keynote presentations, or to register, visit:
http://www.womma.org/wommu
[Originally posted by Spike on Brains on Fire] No, I’m not kidding. Via Brand New (via Nation’s Restaurant News): In a potential departure from its long heritage, KFC Corp. will give franchisees the option of rebranding their stores “Kentucky Fried...
[Originally posted by Mike Spataro on VisInsights] Forrester social media guru Josh Bernoff shared some insights and case studies from the new Groundswell book he co-authored with Charlene Li on a webinar hosted today by Joe Cothrel, VP of Community...
[Originally posted by Spike on Brains on Fire] Continuing on with the naming theme, Wired published an article this week praising electronic companies (specifically cellphone makers) for finally seeing the light and laying those long, inane alphanumeric names to rest....
[Originally posted by Jake McKee on CommunityGuy] In the course of a month, I usually get one or two advanced review copies of books about community/social media/business strategy/web culture. It’s fantastic that so many authors and publishers have me on...
[Originally posted on MGH] Picture this: you’re chilling outside when, out of nowhere, you see a man dressed in a banana suit being chased by a large group of people. Then, just like that, the group stops and everyone walks...
We are constantly adding valuable word of mouth marketing whitepapers, research studies, essays, opinion papers, and other content to WOMMA's member center. These are just a few of the NEW items you'll find there: Net Promoter Economics: The Impact of...
Still haven't figured out the right way to put Twitter to work for you or your company? Here are ten tips from the geekpreneur blog for ways that you can make the most out of the microblogging site.
Jennifer Cisney, a 10-year Kodak employee, was recently named to the position of Chief Blogger. Ten percent of Fortune 500 companies have Chief Blogger positions, and Cisney is one of the few women to hold one. As Kodak's Chief Blogger, Cisney will be charged with overseeing Kodak's two blogs, "A Thousand Words" and "A Thousand Nerds," and will work to increase the company's social media presence.
If you're planning to attend WOMMA's WOMM-U conference, which is taking place May 8-9, 2008 in Miami, Fla., you need to reserve your hotel room ASAP to lock in our fantastic rates. WOMMA has roped off a block of rooms...
As people spend more time on a variety of social networking platforms, they are spending less time blogging, and it's having an effect on the blogosphere. Social networks, according to this blog post from Robert Scoble, are replacing a lot of the functions that blogs used to perform -- and are doing them faster, better, and in a way that's more targeted.
WOMMA is soliciting nominations for candidates for its Board of Directors. This year, there are seven open seats on the Board, and we encourage all eligible members to run.
This is a GREAT opportunity to serve your industry and to shape WOMMA in the years to come.
To find out everything you need to know about the WOMMA Board elections process, including the nomination criteria, visit:
www.womma.org/elections
WOMMA is happy to introduce WOMM-U Faculty member, Geno Church of WOMMA member company Brains on Fire. Geno's claims to fame are that he was born the son of a preacher-man, scored 50 points in a high-school basketball game, was in a glam-rock band (while he was a Leif Garret look-alike) in the 70s, and nobody can ever figure out where his accent is from (it's Southern). Oh and he's a quoted, sought-after, and stalked thought-leader in uncovering the DNA of sustainable word of mouth movements and building them from the ground-up. Seriously. Addys. Wommies. Forrester Groundswell Awards. And a finalist for an EFFIE. (We won't know the results for a couple of weeks.)
Brands Geno has loved on include Fiskars Brands, the American Booksellers Association, Rawlings Sporting Goods, National Family Partnership, Charleston Parks Conservancy, the US Office of National Drug Control Policy, Ronald McDonald Children's Charities, and Rage Against the Haze (South Carolina's youth led anti-tobacco movement). He contributes to the topish-ranked Brains on Fire blog (www.brainsonfire.com/blog), speaks at events nationally and abroad (we almost lost him in South Africa last year -- twice) and is widely quoted in blogs and traditional print on a regular basis. Geno's Southern, approachable, and probably one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. No kidding.
To meet Geno and other WOMM-U Faculty members, peruse the agenda, check out the keynote presentations, or to register, visit:
http://www.womma.org/wommu
[Originally posted by Andy Sernovitz on Damn! I Wish I'd Thought of That!] Skybus Airlines went bust today. JetBlue saved the day by offering $50 fares to Skybus passengers. They even gave $10 flights to Skybus employees. * Every one...
[Originally posted by Mike Spataro on VisInsights] The Boston Globe has a good overview piece on the growth of teenage blogging, driven mostly by 12-to-17 year old girls who are spending more time online discussing their daily activities than ever...
[Originally posted by Andy Sernovitz on Damn! I Wish I'd Thought of That!] The Makers Mark Ambassador Program is the greatest customer evangelism campaign ever created. 500,000 people are out there every day advertising this brand - for free -...
[Originally posted by John Bell on Digital Influence Mapping Project] There's a great event coming up in May. As a WOMMA member I see this event as a breakthrough in formats. It's practical, hands-on coursework in Word of Mouth Marketing...
[Originally posted by Andy Sernovitz on Damn! I Wish I'd Thought of That!] (This was originally posted on the MarketingProfs blog.) Holly Suttmann, a former schoolteacher, started the Black & Light Candle company. Holly really understands word of mouth. She's...
[Originally posted by Chad Bockius on Bazaarblog] Lately we’re talking a lot about how product questions create roadblocks to sales. A recent Vizu poll showed us that 61% of the people surveyed received answers from retailers less than half the...
WOMMA is soliciting nominations for candidates for its Board of Directors. This year, there are seven open seats on the Board, and we encourage all eligible members to run.
This is a GREAT opportunity to serve your industry and to shape WOMMA in the years to come.
To find out everything you need to know about the WOMMA Board elections process, including the nomination criteria, visit:
www.womma.org/elections
While a wealth of demographic and interest-related data is available via social network users' profiles and posts, ad-technology firm Lotame suggests that users' actions -- how often they post, comment, converse, etc. -- also provide a way to make messages more targeted. A specific slice of social net users (18% according to "Groundswell" authors Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff) create content, while others comment on the content or simply lurk. According to this article from Advertising Age, targeting messages to action-oriented categories of users creates a unique opportunity -- something worth investigating.
If you're planning to attend WOMMA's WOMM-U conference, which is taking place May 8-9, 2008 in Miami, Fla., you need to reserve your hotel room ASAP to lock in our fantastic rates. WOMMA has roped off a block of rooms...
