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Please Join WOMMA in Welcoming These New Member Companies
Welcome to new WOMMA member companies:
* Aetna
* M Booth & Associates
* CDs-2-GO
* Gravity Wave Research
* TRICOM
* theKbuzz
Thanks to everyone for their support!
August 2007
← July 2007 | WOMMA News Blog Home | September 2007 →
Spreading the Word
News by, about, and for WOMMA members:
* Congratulations to WOMMA Board member Virginia Miracle of Brains on Fire, who welcomed a baby boy on Aug. 23. Cheers, Virginia, to your new addition!
* Rob Key of WOMMA member company Converseon and Jonathan Ashton of WOMMA member company Agency.com spoke on a panel, titled "Buzz Monitoring," at the Search Engine Strategies 2007 Conference and Expo, which took place Aug. 20-23 in San Jose, Calif.
* Andrew Field of WOMMA member company PrintingForLess.com was recently featured in an article on the Pronet Small Business Resource Center. You can read the article here.
* This Thursday, Aug. 30, the Bulldog Reporter's PR University series will host a teleconference on word of mouth marketing. WOMMA Board member Paul Rand of the Zocalo Group, Board member John Bell of Ogilvy PR, Paull Young of WOMMA member company Converseon, and Andy Sernovitz of WOMMA member company GasPedal will be speaking. Find out more about the teleconference here.
* WOMMA Board member Gary Spangler of DuPont and Board member Pete Blackshaw of Nielsen BuzzMetrics were both recently quoted in a MidwestBusiness.com article, titled "Message From ad:tech Chicago: Ignore Consumer Voice at Your Peril." You can read the article here.
Are you speaking at an event or receiving an award? Were you quoted in the press? Are you making a change at work or at home, or otherwise just doing something really cool? Tell us about it and we'll spread the word! Email editor@womma.org.
Whitepaper on WOM Metrics From DemandROMI: Now in the Member Center
>> WOMMA member company DemandROMI has a new whitepaper, which is now available for WOMMA members in the Member Center.
The whitepaper, titled "WOM Metrics Framework," covers DemandROMI's strategies and the need for creating an excepted lexicon for the WOM measurement world.
According to DemandROMI:
"The WOM Metrics Framework was developed to help marketers put a structure around their required metrics in order to gauge the value of their activities as they work to drive increased consumer engagement with their brands. The WOM Metrics Framework was developed to structure metrics from four common types of social networking sites: communities, blogs, discussion forums, and ratings and reviews."
To learn more, log into WOMMA's Member Center, and download the full whitepaper.
>> WOMMA members: Let us promote you! Do you have something you'd like to share with your industry peers? Let us know by emailing us at membership@womma.org, and we'll help you spread the word.
Announced: Event Savings for WOMMA Members
>> At WOMMA, we like to save our members money. Right now, WOMMA is offering savings worth $800+ on leading industry events.
Log into the Member Center now to get your discount codes and take advantage of the latest WOMMA event deals:
--> Creating Loyal Brand Advocates and Positive Brand Buzz
Through Measurable Peer-To-Peer Marketing
Nov. 27 | London
WOMMA members save 10%
--> Forrester's Consumer Forum 2007
Oct. 11-12 | Chicago
WOMMA members save $400
--> OMMA New York
Sept. 24-25 | New York
WOMMA members save $300
--> CAB Exchange Summit
Oct. 2-3 | San Jose, Calif.
WOMMA members save 5%
--> MBA Tour
Various Dates and Locations
FREE for WOMMA Members!
Click here and get your discount codes now.
Announced: ARF & WOMMA Partner to Present Influencer Panel at Advertising Week
This year at Advertising Week, the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) will present a panel discussion on WOM marketing and the role of influencers in the industry. Leaders in the field -- including WOMMA Board president Ed Keller from the Keller Fay Group, Jonathan Carson from WOMMA member company Nielsen BuzzMetrics, and Duncan Watts of Columbia University and Yahoo! Research -- will explain how WOM marketing works and will discuss their theories regarding influencers. Plus, Sean O'Driscoll from WOMMA member company Microsoft will share how the company uses WOM and will discuss some of its successes.
This event, which is taking place Sept. 26 in New York at Advertising Week, is being presented by the ARF in cooperation with WOMMA. WOMMA members can attend free of charge, but must register in advance.
For more information or to register, click here.
Wommie Award Submissions (Examples). Your Last Chance!
Sept. 1 is the 2007 deadline to compete for WOMMA's coveted Wommie Award. Winners will present their award-winning case studies to a crowd of more than 600 of their industry peers at the Word of Mouth Marketing Summit this Nov. 14-15 in Las Vegas.
Here are just a few examples of the innovative work already coming in:
>> One company created a "Bloggers Lounge" at a live event -- complete with desktop computers, high-speed internet connections for laptops, and refreshments. The lounge generated more than 96 blog mentions, 26 Flikr posts, 4 video podcasts, and 100% positive-to-neutral coverage.
>> Another was able to tap into holiday spirit -- getting customers to spread holiday cheer via random acts of kindness, which they were then able to track online at a dedicated microsite. More than 850 stories were posted to the site, which boasted more than 40,000 unique visitors.
>> Another entrant was able to generate more than 27,000 photo posts to an online gallery that featured their client's product. The gallery received coverage from more than 70 targeted bloggers.
Time is running out for you to show off your best word of mouth marketing work. For a chance to win your own Wommie Award, all you have to do is submit a 300-word WOM case study to WOMMA's Case Study Library by Sept. 1, 2007. Not only will you be eligible to win a Wommie Award, but your work will live on in WOMMA's Case Study Library.
The Wommie Awards were created to recognize amazing word of mouth marketing and the brilliant people who make it happen.
>> For more information or to submit your WOM case study, click here.
How Mattel is Using WOM Strategies to Handle Perilous Lead Paint Recall: Join the Discussion
Everyone already knows about the crisis that toy manufacturer Mattel recently faced -- a contractor in China had used lead paint that could endanger children on a number of Mattel products. Faced with this nightmare, Mattel chose to engage consumers using WOM tactics and principles of full disclosure.
On its website, Mattel has posted a letter to parents, as well as a video of CEO Bob Eckert apologizing and taking responsibility for the recall. Instead of trying to hide or to assign blame, in the face of a giant mistake, Mattel took swift, genuine action and instigated a conversation with its customers.
>> What do you think? How did Mattel do in listening to consumer concerns, bolstering consumer trust, and keeping the lines of communication open?
We've posted these questions on the Discussion Board in WOMMA's Facebook group. Log in, see what everyone else is saying, and post your own response.
Win a Wommie: Submit Your WOM Case Study Before Sept. 1
Time is running out for you to win industry applause for your best word of mouth marketing work. Sept. 1 is the deadline for Wommie competitors. For a chance to win your own Wommie Award, all you have to do is submit a 300-word WOM case study to WOMMA's Case Study Library. Not only will you be eligible to win the word of mouth marketing industry's coveted Wommie Award, but your work will live on in WOMMA's Case Study Library as part of our growing WOM archive.
WOMMA's Wommie Awards were created to recognize amazing word of mouth marketing and the brilliant people who make it happen. The Wommie Awards competition is great way for you to strut your stuff and show your industry peers what you've been up to.
>> For more information or to submit your WOM case study, visit:
http://www.womma.org/casestudy
Announced: Event Savings for WOMMA Members
This week we've got even more event deals to pass along to our members. We like saving our members money; don't forget to take advantage of these deep discounts.
Log into the Member Center now to get your discount codes:
--> Creating Loyal Brand Advocates and Positive
Brand Buzz Through Measurable Peer-To-Peer
Marketing
Nov. 27 | London
WOMMA members save 10%
--> Forrester's Consumer Forum 2007
Oct. 11-12 | Chicago
WOMMA members save $400
--> OMMA New York
Sept. 24-25 | New York
WOMMA members save $300
--> CAB Exchange Summit
Oct. 2-3 | San Jose, Calif.
WOMMA members save 5%
--> MBA Tour
Various dates and locations
FREE for WOMMA Members!
Get your discount codes now:
http://womma.leveragesoftware.com
>> If you attend a discounted event and want to tell us about it, or if there's an industry event that you think we should know about, let us know. We like hearing from you. Email us at membership@womma.org with the subject line "WOMMA EVENT DEALS."
WOM: Learn It, Do It Series Coming to New York
Join WOMMA in NYC on Sept. 20 for a highly-concentrated dose of WOM information. Learn how to make word of mouth marketing work for you at a half-day session that has you back in the office implementing what you've learned the very same day.
This is a great way to meet like-minded word of mouth marketers in your area -- and the bargain price makes it perfect for junior staff, as well as experienced WOM aficionados.
>> Register now to join us, and then start brainstorming questions for our panel of experts to address at this half-day educational session.
WOM in the City II
Sept. 20 | New York
Join WOMMA and member-company sponsor GolinHarris as the WOM education road crew makes a return trip to NYC. Don't miss it!
New in the Member Center: Whitepaper From OneUpWeb
A new whitepaper from WOMMA member company OneUpWeb is now available for WOMMA members in the Member Center.
The whitepaper, titled "Principles of Crisis Management in a Viral Age: Integrating the Tools and Lessons of Search 2.0 Into a Comprehensive Crisis Response," offers insights about crisis management in the viral age and solutions about how to use web 2.0 features to accelerate crisis response in your company.
According to OneUpWeb:
"'Be honest. Be thorough. Be first.' These are the consistent pearls quoted by every PR professional paid to manage a potential crisis. But those prescriptions were written long before there were camera phones, YouTube and Digg. Today, being thorough is relative at best and being first is virtually impossible. In a viral age, it's 'be honest, be thorough and be everywhere.' And, don't forget the Boy Scout motto - 'Be Prepared' . . . for anything."
To learn more, log into WOMMA's Member Center at http://womma.leveragesoftware.com, and download the full whitepaper.
>> WOMMA members: Let us promote you! Do you have something you'd like to share with your industry peers? Let us know by emailing us at membership@womma.org, and we'll help you spread the word.
Meet a New WOMMA Member: ChatThreads
Welcome to a new WOMMA member:
ChatThreads
-------------------
When ChatThreads launched in mid-July, it launched with an ambitious mission carved out by long-standing WOMMA Advisory Board member and Research Council Co-Chair, Dr. Walter Carl. In a nutshell, ChatThreads is an independent WOM research company that is in the business of creating standardization in word of mouth marketing research through its third party validation, which is based on Walter's years of academic research at Northeastern University.
According to Walter, ChatThreads is "attempting to fill an industry need" by tracking "conversational reach, richness, and impact, as well as how brand-related content is relayed from person to person." Not only that, the company is working to create benchmarks and best practices for the WOM industry and to create categorical comparisons, which word of mouth marketers can use to gauge the success of their WOM efforts across catagories.
You can find out more about WOMMA member company ChatThreads by visiting http://www.chatthreads.com.
Thanks to everyone for your support!
Spreading the Word
News by, about, and for WOMMA members:
* Congratulations to WOMMA member company Apple for winning over fickle youth WOM. The iPod was named No. 1 in positive word of mouth among respondents aged 13-17 in a recent TalkTrack survey. TalkTrack is a measurement program from WOMMA member company the Keller Fay Group.
* Congratulations to WOMMA member company Yahoo!, which was recently named the top e-business website by the University of Michigan's American Customer Satisfaction Index report. Yahoo! scored 79 on the 100-point scale, an increase of 4% over last year's score.
* WOMMA member company Capable Networks recently launched three new online communities focused on the product offerings of consumer electronics companies NETGEAR, Monster Cable, and SanDisk.
* Congratulations to WOMMA member company comScore, which was recently named to the Top 25 Global Market Research Organizations by Inside Research. The rankings were based on 2006 revenues.
* Board member Sam Decker of WOMMA member company Bazaarvoice recently wrote an article for The Retail Bulletin. The article, titled "The Big Idea Behind Social Commerce," can be found at http://www.theretailbulletin.com/?tag=e407c91a02b01530b342bae6a5e59de4.
Are you speaking at an event or receiving an award? Were you quoted in the press? Are you making a change at work or at home, or otherwise just doing something really cool? Tell us about it and we'll spread the word! Email editor@womma.org.
Join Your Peers in WOMMA's New Facebook Group
Since WOMMA announced the creation of its Facebook group last week, more than 90 of your word of mouth marketing peers have signed up to take part. Join the group and check out this great collection of word of mouth aficionados. You can post WOM-relevant stats or studies on the wall, sound off on the latest industry debates, or start a discussion on the latest industry opportunities.
This group was created to serve as an online meeting place for:
* WOMMA member companies
* WOM practitioners looking for a community of their peers
* College students who want to be on the cutting edge of marketing
* Teachers who are looking for the best new information to give their students
* Consumers who have questions about how WOM affects them
Join with us to participate and HAVE FUN! Remember, WOM is for everyone. Let's spread the word.
Announced: WOMMA Members Save $ at OMMA, CAB, & MBA Events
WOMMA is always looking for opportunities to save our members money. (It's just one of the many benefits of being a WOMMA member).
Log into the Member Center now to get your discount code and take advantage of the latest WOMMA event deals:
OMMA New York
September 24-25, 2007 | New York, NY
WOMMA members save $300
CAB Exchange Summit
October 2-3, 2007 | San Jose, CA
WOMMA members save 5%
MBA Tour
Several Dates and Locations
Free for WOMMA members
WOMMA members get your discount codes inside the Member Center:
http://womma.leveragesoftware.com
Get New Customers While You Recruit New Talent through WOMMA's Job Board Postings & Buyers Guide (FREE to WOMMA members)
WOMMA members receive a variety of valuable benefits. Here are two you may have forgotten to take advantage of:
WOMMA'S BUYERS GUIDE: All WOMMA members have a reserved spot in WOMMA's Buyers Guide; don't let yours go to waste. This is the first place clients turn when looking for their next partner in WOM. Make sure your company is among the ranks. Visit the Buyers Guide at http://www.womma.org/buyers to fill out your free profile now.
>> Governing Members automatically get a free upgrade to a Featured Listing.
FREE MONTHLY JOB BOARD POSTINGS: WOMMA's Job Board matches the best brains in the industry with the companies that are leading the field. WOMMA members, don't forget to take advantage of your free monthly posting on WOMMA's Job Board at http://www.womma.org/jobs.
WOMMA Members Voice Enthusiasm for Influencer Council
>> RECAP: Last Tuesday, Aug. 7, more than 70 WOMMA members dialed in to
take part in this kick-off conversation about the influencer model.
After introductory remarks by WOMMA board leaders, President Ed Keller and VP Paul Rand, callers were invited to voice their thoughts on issues related to influencer marketing. Callers were interested in exploring a range of questions, including:
- What are influencers? Different companies have vastly different ways of identifying and defining them; how do we create a uniform understanding of what influencers are?
- Once you've identified and engaged your influencers, how do you sustain their interest?
- What are the ethical concerns in dealing with influencers?
- If everyone is targeting influencers, should we also be concerned about over-saturation?
Based on the level of interest expressed, it was determined that WOMMA would launch a new Influencer Council to address such issues as:
- The need to standardize definitions and terminology
- Research and metrics
- Transparency and ethics
- Best practices
Eighteen companies signed up to join the council during or immediately following the phone call (and more are expected).
--> If you would like to participate in a council that tackles these
issues, please send an email to peter@womma.org and put "INFLUENCER COUNCIL" in the subject line.
WOMMA Welcomes Interim CEO Peter Waldheim
Shortly following WOMMA’s official inception in 2004, Peter signed-on as the organization’s Senior Strategist, involving him in a wide range of organizational activities including membership, public affairs, and helping to represent the industry in Washington, D.C.
Prior to his WOMMA involvement, Peter had been actively "spreading the word" for more than three decades, employing the internet, direct marketing, social networks, and personal presentations to frame messages, engage people, embrace activists, build coalitions,
and market ideas to the American public.
Highlights of Peter’s career include serving as a consultant to 80+ nonprofit organizations, as well as a variety of political candidates and organizations, including 20 U.S. senators. In the corporate world, he has served as the CEO for the Association for Interactive Media, where he worked with top executives from such companies as Microsoft, IBM, Intel, NBC, DreamWorks, Time Warner, MTV Networks, and others.
In recent years, Peter has co-managed global outreach programs for Holocaust restitution, been appointed by once-Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle to serve on two committees advising Senate Democrats on both public interest and political issues related to the internet, and redesigned online strategy and operations for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Based both on his professional credentials and his above-par joke-telling abilities, WOMMA is happy to welcome Peter to its Chicago office. Welcome, Peter!
Welcome New WOMMA Members!
Welcome to new WOMMA members:
- Brand Networks
- Upperkut
- nFusion
- Internet Strategies Group
- American Society for Surgery of the Hand
- Mindshare
Thank you to everyone for your support!
Spreading the Word
News by, about, and for WOMMA members:
- Congratulations to WOMMA's VP of events, Teresa Nelson Buescher, and her husband Randy, who welcomed baby boy Nathaniel on Saturday, July 29!
- WOMMA Board member Scott Wilder of Intuit was interviewed recently for an article featured on the "Bernaisesource" blog. You can read the post at http://bernaisesource.blog.com.
- WOMMA Board member Gary Spangler of DuPont was featured in an ad:tech article titled, "How DuPont Bought Ad Space on Blogs to Help Make Video Series Go Viral." You can read it at http://www.ad-tech.com/adtech_email/8_7_2007_GM/.
- WOMMA Board member Pete Blackshaw of Nielsen BuzzMetrics and Blake Cahill of WOMMA member company Visible Technologies were quoted in the cover story for the August issue of American Executive. You can read the article at http://americanexecutive.com/features/f_08_07_Cover.asp.
- Spannerworks, part of WOMMA member company iCrossing's network, is sending a team of eight employees to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in September. The climb will raise funds for the Amani Children's Home, which is a home for orphans that is located at the base of Kilimanjaro. To donate to the effort, visit the 'Kili climb' website at http://www.thekiliclimb.co.uk.
Are you speaking at an event or receiving an award? Were you quoted in the press? Are you making a change at work or at home, or otherwise just doing something really cool? Tell us about it and we'll spread the word!
Email editor@womma.org.
TODAY: Members-Only Call to Discuss the Influencer Model
Today at 3 p.m. EDT, WOMMA will host a members-only conference call in order to open a dialogue about the influencer model among our members, as well as to discuss WOMMA's role in fostering discussion about issues that affect the industry.
BACKGROUND: Many organizations depend on the influencer model as one of the many word of mouth strategies that shape their marketing efforts. In response to recent discussions within the industry about the influencer model, WOMMA is providing a variety of platforms for our members to weigh in.
Dial in, listen to what your industry peers have to say, and voice your own opinions.
>> To take part in the call, please email us at membership@womma.org and put "INFLUENCER CONFERENCE CALL" in the subject line. Or give us a call at 1-312-853-4400.
Join WOMMA's Facebook Group
WOMMA has created a Facebook Group -- aptly called "Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA)" -- and everyone is invited to join.
WOMMA created the group to act as an online meeting place for WOMMA member companies, as well as WOM practitioners who are looking for a community of their peers. We also invite college students who want to be on the cutting edge of marketing, teachers who are looking for the best new information to give their students, and consumers who have questions about this new marketing landscape to step up and take part.
WOM is for everyone. Let's spread the word.
To join WOMMA's new Facebook group, visit: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=3272859876
Member Benefits: Job Board Postings and Member Savings
WOMMA members receive a variety of valuable benefits -- here are two you may have forgotten to take advantage of:
* FREE MONTHLY JOB BOARD POSTINGS: WOMMA's Job Board matches the best brains in the industry with the companies that are leading the field. WOMMA members, don't forget to take advantage of your free monthly posting on WOMMA's Job Board.
* 25% DISCOUNT ON ALL WOMMA MERCHANDISE: Whether you're ordering one of our research anthologies, audio CDs from one of our past conferences, or a special package that includes a combination of WOMMA merchandise, WOMMA members save 25% on all orders. To use your discount, visit the WOMMA store.
>> WOMBAT 3 audio is now available from the WOMMA store. Audio from the great word of mouth sessions straight from New Orleans for $195. WOMMA members save an additional 25%.
WOM: Learn It, Do It Series Coming to Seattle & New York
>> Seattle word of mouth marketers: Come armed with the questions and challenges most important to you in developing effective WOMM strategies, and our panel of experts will share their wisdom.
Time is running out to register for the Learn It, Do It session that WOMMA is bringing to you. Learn how to make word of mouth marketing work for you at a half-day session that has you back in the office implementing what you've learned the very same day.
This is a great way to meet like-minded word of mouth marketers in your area at a bargain price that makes it perfect for junior staff, as well as experienced WOM aficionados. You don't want to miss it!
WOM on the West Coast
Aug. 15 | Seattle
Join WOMMA and member-company sponsors Cole & Weber United and Visible Technologies along with sponsor Zaaz as we cover all the basics of word of mouth in our educational, half-day session.
WOM in the City II
Sept. 20 | New York
Join WOMMA and member-company sponsor GolinHarris as the WOM education road crew makes a return trip to NYC. Don't miss it!
Best Wishes Susan Tibbitts: WOMMA Exec. Director Exits
For the past several weeks, WOMMA executive director Susan Tibbitts and senior strategist Peter Waldheim have been enjoying some dedicated time together working through operational transition details as Susan prepares to end her service at WOMMA and move on to new opportunities.
Peter will officially take over from Susan as interim CEO on Aug. 15 (we'll tell you about him next time). Founding CEO Andy Sernovitz and WOMMA's Board of Directors hired Susan, who came to WOMMA as a senior director from the American Academy of Dermatology.
Susan is looking forward to her next challenge. According to Susan, directing day to day operations for WOMMA has been tremendously rewarding. "Working with WOMMA members is a rich learning experience," she says. "I have been delighted to support the industry-defining mission of WOMMA. I look forward to continuing to work with WOMMA members in my next position." WOMMA members, Board and staff thank Susan for her contributions to WOMMA's development and wish her every future success.
Welcome to New WOMMA Member: American Society for Surgery of the Hand
Welcome to new WOMMA member:
American Society for Surgery of the Hand
------------------------------------------------------------
Leaders at the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) understand the role word of mouth marketing plays within a thriving network of professionals -- which, in the case of ASSH, includes more than 2,500 plastic surgeons, general surgeons, and orthopedic surgeons worldwide.
According to Matthew Smith, ASSH's director of integrated marketing and brand development, word of mouth is the best vehicle for the spread of information about the educational opportunities, events, and publications ASSH offers. Smith noted that the circles of influence within this sector of the medical profession are great and that within "families of doctors" there is tremendous respect for highly regarded surgeons -- so much so that a single endorsement from one of them carries tremendous weight.
ASSH members are so adept at making WOM happen that, thus far, the association hasn't had to implement a single word of mouth marketing campaign -- it just leaves its members to their own WOM-spreading devices.
Welcome ASSH, and thank you for your support!
Spreading the Word
News by, about, and for WOMMA members:
* An interview with WOMMA Board member Gary Spangler of DuPont was highlighted as the "Feature of the Month" in Emerald Insight's ManagementFirst section. You can read the interview here (login required).
* Congratulations to WOMMA member company Ammo Marketing, which won a Silver ExAward for its Stellar Gin VIP influencer program for client Brown-Forman. Ammo was also named the "2007 Newcomer Agency" in the annual Promo 100 edition of Promo Magazine.
* Victoria Grantham of WOMMA member company Rose Communications recently wrote an Op-Ed article, titled "Disclosure Critical in Blogosphere," which appeared in PRWeek. You can read the article here.
* Christopher Battle of WOMMA member company Adfero Group wrote an article that appeared in the June 21 edition of Roll Call. You can read the article here.
* Congratulations to Lisa Wehr, CEO of WOMMA member company OneUpWeb, who was recently named to BtoB Magazine's 2007 Search Marketing Who's Who List. This is her fourth consecutive year on the list.
Are you speaking at an event or receiving an award? Were you quoted in the press? Are you making a change at work or at home, or otherwise just doing something really cool? Tell us about it and we'll spread the word! Email editor@womma.org.