   |
 
|
|
7:00 |
Registration |
|
8:00 |
State of the Industry: Word of Mouth Marketing in the Year AheadProspects for the future of our profession as word of mouth marketing faces the challenges and opportunities of becoming a part of the mainstream marketing mix. |
|
8:45 |
What is Word of Mouth Marketing?What is included in our field? Viral, buzz, evangelism, customer loyalty, and a dozen other terms are used to describe what we do. Passions run high when marketers debate what should be included in the definition -- and who should be at the table. |
|
9:30 |
Ethics in Word of Mouth MarketingConsumer respect and protection are essential. Understand the right and wrong ways to do WOM. Understand this critical issue and how you can build ethics into the fundamentals of your WOM marketing program. Detail on the WOMMA Ethics Code, the Honesty ROI, and how to apply it to your company. |
|
10:15 |
Break |
|
10:45 |
Measuring Word of MouthLearn how word of mouth can be measured, quantified, and leveraged. Understand how to track the impact of your WOM campaigns, and how your other marketing is impacted by follow-on WOM. Presentation of WOMMA's new framework for measurement of WOM, and examples of how it can be applied to various business models. |
|
11:30 |
Consumer Respect, Consumer Control, Consumer Trust and Marketers Learning to Live With ItDoes word of mouth marketing give power to the consumer, or power to the marketer? Changing the fundamental philosophy of your company -- building on a foundation of customer satisfaction. The true source of natural WOM. |
|
12:30 |
Lunch Keynote |
Guy Kawasaki, Chairman Garage Technology Ventures Author, Art of the Start and Selling the Dream |
Part 2: Real-World Case Studies: Lessons from the Field
2:15 |
Lessons from the Music Industry: Fan Clubs, File Sharing, and RadioMusic fans are the original word of mouth evangelists. Learn how the music and radio industry has leveraged this natural enthusiasm. Learn how radio stations build listener loyalty, understand how file sharing impacts buzz, and see how a viral music campaign is constructed. |
|
|
Lessons from the Non-ProfitsNon-profits were organizing and activating grassroots constituencies long before marketers discovered it. Learn from the top organizers about how they activate volunteers, create communities, and build support. |
|
3:10 |
Lessons from Politics: The 2004 ElectionThe 2004 Presidential Election took word of mouth to a whole new level. Active evangelists raised millions of dollars, hosted thousands of events, and blogged every word of it. Learn how it happened, how to do it again, and what it really means. Learn how to use these techniques for your marketing and outreach. |
|
|
Lessons from Specialty Markets: Spreading the word to highly targeted audiencesLearn from marketers who have mastered the art of communicating with word of mouth to highly specific audience. Pre-existing networks are uniquely active and effective and sharing information with each other. Understand how to work with constituents with common interests to reach large audiences. Case studies from religious books, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals. |
|
3:55 |
Break |
|
4:15 |
Lessons from Hollywood: WOM, Movies, and TVOnline buzz about the latest entertainment is a powerful tool. See how consumer reviews, creative campaigns, and viral promotions are used to build excitement and sales.
Exploring the 'lifecycle' of fanbases in various entertainment sectors (movies, music, etc.) and how to sustain the passion of single community of fans by transitioning the WOM focus of a title/IP across various media (i.e., a video game that becomes a movie, goes to home video, then becomes a book) thus extending the lifecycle of a WOM program. |
|
5:00 |
Lessons from Marketers: Brands Talk About Word of MouthReal-world examples from the biggest brands: Consumer products, food, healthcare/pharma, consumer electronics, retail, and more. Learn how smart brands are encouraging and amplifying word of mouth conversations. Combine customer satisfaction with the right tools and tactics and to radically accelerate positive promotion. |
|
5:45 |
Run back to your hotel, change clothes, call your kids, and get ready for the feast. Put away your briefcase. Throw your Blackberry in the toilet. |
|
Official Dinner Banquet
6:30 |
This must-attend banquet is included with your conference registration. Everyone will be there -- don't make other plans. The bus will pick you up at the hotel at 6:30 sharp -- be outside. Casual dress, empty belly required. We're going to Reza's, an amazing Mediterranean restaurant that serves a huge feast. Eat, drink, schmooze! |
|
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Part 3: Best Practices and Tactics
Start |
Session Title |
Speakers |
7:30 |
Breakfast |
|
8:00 |
Opening Keynote |
|
8:45 |
Working with Online CommunitiesLearn to engage with online communities, social networks, message board participants, list-serve communities, and product feedback participants. Creating your own communities and working with independent ones. Getting involved in the conversation without shilling or invading. Understanding the "rules of the forum" concept. |
|
|
Blogs: Creating and using them to spread WOMCorporate Blogs: Creating them, being transparent, linking, and promotion.
How to work with bloggers. Engaging with them on their own turf. The do's and don'ts of taking your message to blogs.
Blog ethics, WOM ethics, PR ethics, and journalism ethics: Sorting it out. |
|
9:30 |
Break |
|
9:45 |
Customer Evangelists: Motivating Customers to Talk About YouHow do you turn a regular customer into an excited evangelist? Why do ordinary buyers decide to invest time and effort in promoting their favorite brands? Learn to create genuine two-way communications with customers. Create feedback and loyalty programs that earn respect and recommendations. Also understand the complex issues of loyalty programs, especially when points and incentives are involved. |
|
|
Buzz: Earning it and Making itHow to plan and execute high-profile activities that get talked about. Using publicity, the Internet, and creativity to get a conversation started.
How to create buzz-worthy products that people will talk about. Thinking about buzz and usability in product design. |
|
10:40 |
Agents and Activists: Using an Organized Advocate ProgramWorking with firms that provide you with networks of volunteer spokespeople. Understand the how to effectively use these services. Learn how to identify professionals that will protect your brand and avoid dishonest shills. |
|
|
Creating Viral Advertising CampaignsHow do you create content that people want to watch and share? It's hard enough to get people to look at advertising -- what makes them share it? Why do people forward messages to their friends? Developing content, getting it out there, and making sure it spreads. |
|
11:35 |
Jumpstarting WOM: How to Get People TalkingUsing advertising to create word of mouth. Using event marketing to create word of mouth. Using experiential marketing to create word of mouth. Using sampling to create word of mouth |
|
Lunch Workshop
12:30 |
Small Group WorkshopOver lunch, participants will break into small working groups to analyze real-world case studies. Each group will focus on a specific challenge faced by companies featured in the new book Testify. Your task: Apply the lessons you learned during the conference to actual situations faced by real companies. |
Part 4: Managing and Measuring Your WOM Program
2:15 |
Managing WOM: Who should own word of mouth marketing? Do it yourself or bring in an agency? How do you managing WOM across multiple media?Client-side departments? PR agencies? Ad agencies? Media specialists? Specialty shops? Does word of mouth work best as a discipline within the organization, or as a state of mind among the entire organization? How do you find the right agency to help you, what should it cost, and where do you find them?
How do you integrating WOM across all types of marketing and communications. How does word of mouth transcend various media platforms? |
|
|
Identifying, Reaching, and Motivating Key InfluencersLearn to identify, measure, and quantify key segments that will become your most effective ambassadors. Learn specific techniques to support this grassroots enthusiasm. |
|
3:10 |
Lessons from the Beverage Industry: How Drinks Get HotTales from the field about how word of mouth marketing increased brand volume for beverage brands. Learn how unknown drinks become hot household names, tired brands become hot again, and how mainstream brands protect their base. |
|
|
Tracking the Online Conversation and Measuring Campaign EffectivenessUsing online buzz to understand WOM and its impact. How to follow the online conversation and interpret what you find. Learn to track the effectiveness of your WOM campaigns. Translate the WOM conversation into actionable data. |
|
4:00 |
Adjourn |
|