5 Tips from Fleishman-Hillard's Dan Horowitz

"If you just want to talk 'to' your audience versus 'with' them, then WOM isn't for you," says Dan Horowitz, Co-Chair of Fleishman-Hillard's Interactive Practice Group. "But if you want to engage, enlighten, and empower your key audiences, then make sure you integrate WOM into all of your marketing and communications."

Here are Dan's five tips on integrating WOM into your marketing and communications programs.

Tip #1. Build relationships
WOM is just another opportunity to build real, lasting relationships with customers and other key stakeholders. Like any good relationship, programs should be built on trust, transparency, and two-way conversations.

Tip #2. Start small
Nothing helps establish the value of your new approach like real life examples. Implement one manageable, measurable tactic to help demonstrate WOM's worth before recommending full integration within your marketing efforts.

For example, try "pilot" blogs that are assessed and measured at the end of a two-month period based on initial goals: number of posts, number of visitors, number of mentions by third-parties.

Tip #3. Develop metrics
Look beyond typical metrics: if ACME Company creates a registration-based online community and nearly half of the sign-ups come from "tell-a-friend", you can see the clear impact of WOM. Also be sure to look at how members who joined via the WOM promotion differ from other participants. Were they more active? Were they more likely to refer additional members? Did they churn less?

Tip #4. Let it evolve
WOM is about encouraging evolution in your messaging. Want control? Buy an ad. Want honest discussion of your products? Embrace WOM.

For example, Fleishman-Hillard represents a well-known food product company. When it launched a new product line, we sent samples of the product to a list of key online editors and bloggers, asking only that they write a fair review of the product, disclosing that they were offered a free sample by Fleishman-Hillard. The reviews were positive overall; the constructive criticism allowed the company to re-assess its messaging and positioning.

Tip #5. Integrate promotions
View your WOM program in terms of online and offline impact. A registration-based online community might be promoted via a website, e-newsletter, and relevant third-party sites. However, don’t forget to utilize offline PR, events, and other traditional channels to promote it. Integration leads to exponential results for WOM programs.

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