Word of Mouth Basic Training -- Word of Mouth Marketing Association -- WOMMA

Posted on 02/22/06 | 0 Comments | Link

Podcast: Dan Buczaczer on Obstacles to WOM Adoption

In this podcast, Dan Buczaczer of SMG's Reverb discusses the specific issues and obstacles that agencies and clients face when considering the formal adoption of word of mouth as a strategy. According to Dan, the issue for agencies is inertia. Word of mouth is the newcomer and still gets the "play money." For clients, the issue is deeper and often goes to the very structure of the firm.

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

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Posted on 02/16/06 | 0 Comments | Link

Read Dan's WOMBAT presentation (PDF download)

Podcast: Virgil Simons on Building Grassroots WOM

Virgil Simons had a hunch. After recognizing that a barber is often the one person most men will talk about anything -- including personal medical problems -- he figured that they would make ideal agents in a word of mouth campaign. In this podcast, Virgil explains how his hunch paid off.

Virgil Simons is the Founder & President of The Prostate Net, a patient education and advocacy organization. Using the experiences gained in surviving prostate cancer, Virgil built an international organization that uses a matrix of informational techniques (Web site, 800#, email and personal team counselors, public forums, newsletters and community disease interventions) to address disease risk awareness and early disease interdiction.

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

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Posted on 02/ 9/06 | 0 Comments | Link

Read Virgil's WOMBAT presentation (PDF download)

Podcast: Zane Safrit on Employee-Driven WOM

Many companies say that happy employees produce happy customers. As the CEO of Conference Calls Unlimited, Zane Safrit put this belief into action. He re-built the organization to foster high employee satisfaction, recognizing that these employees in turn drive high levels of customer satisfaction --- and positive referrals.

In this podcast, Zane explores the link between happy employees, positive word of mouth, and strong business results.

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Posted on 02/ 9/06 | 0 Comments | Link

Podcast: Sean Glass, Chris LaConte on Negative Buzz

Early negative buzz has the potential to shoot down any product launch prematurely. In this podcast, Sean Glass and Chris LaConte of Higher One share how they countered negative buzz during an early product launch by joining the conversation and engaging its detractors. They haven't looked back since.

Higher One provides refund management services and other assorted banking services to the higher education market. Sean Glass is Higher One's Founder and Chief Marketing Officer and Chris LaConte is the company's Student Liaison.

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Posted on 02/ 2/06 | 0 Comments | Link

Podcast: Pete Blackshaw on Consumers Emotion and WOM

Pete Blackshaw is one of the original evangelists for consumer-generated media (CGM). In this podcast, Pete talks in detail about the CGM multiple, a concept that links the degree to which a consumer responds emotionally to a brand experience with the positive or negative word of mouth that results.

Pete is a founding member of WOMMA and a recognized expert in interactive marketing, word of mouth, and consumer understanding. He is the founder of PlanetFeedback and currently serves as the Chief Marketing and Client Satisfaction Officer for Intelliseek, which was recently acquired by BuzzMetrics.

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

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Posted on 02/ 2/06 | 0 Comments | Link

Read Pete's shared WOMBAT presentation (PDF download)

Podcast: Tom Eiland on Methods Behind Successful Word of Mouth Campaigns

"Word of mouth isn't a theory. It's something a that really works, and can work for a variety of markets." That's the word according to Tom Eiland of Conkling Fiskum & McCormick. During this podcast, Tom talks about the evolution of word of mouth in both consumer and business marketing, and in political campaigns. Going into detail about an actual campaign run at the community level, Tom also explores the methods behind successful word of mouth campaigns.

Conkling Fiskum & McCormick is a public affairs, communications, and research firm headquartered in Portland, Oregon. Tom heads CFM's research and word of mouth practices. A former press secretary and speechwriter for an Alabama congressman, he has conducted research for major corporations, associations, and government agencies. During the past year, Tom has worked on word of mouth efforts in consumer products, public affairs, and public broadcasting.

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

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Posted on 01/26/06 | 0 Comments | Link

Podcast: Author Don Peppers on Driving Positive WOM

In this podcast, Don Peppers talks about customer satisfaction as a driver of positive word of mouth. Citing real-life examples, Don goes in-depth on the roles that employee empowerment, ownership, and excellence in service all play in word of mouth stimulation.

Recognized for over a decade as one of the leading authorities on customer-focused relationship management strategies for business, Don Peppers is an acclaimed author and a founding partner of Peppers & Rogers Group.

Don recently gave an enthusiastically received keynote speech at the Word of Mouth Basic Training Conference. In an exclusive free download from WOMMA, you also can read the first chapter of his book "Return on Customer".

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

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Posted on 01/26/06 | 0 Comments | Link

Read Don's WOMBAT How-To: Determining Return on Customer

Read Don's WOMBAT keynote (PDF download)

Download chapter 1 of "Return on Customer:
http://www.womma.org/content/Peppers_chapter1.pdf

Podcast: George Silverman on Why WOM is Essential Now

George takes the interesting approach of considering word of mouth as a part of the solution to the clutter issue facing marketers. In this podcast, George explores his theory that word of mouth can actually reduce the volume of information aimed at consumers while raising the quality and relevance of what gets through.

George Silverman is the author of the book "The Secrts of Word of Mouth Marketing" and president of Market Navigation. He is a recovered and reformed psychologist (ABD for a Ph.D. in educational psychology), the inventor of the telephone focus group, and co-inventor of the peer word of mouth group.

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Posted on 01/18/06 | 0 Comments | Link

Podcast: Author Douglas Atkin on Values-Based Evangelism

Centered on belief, the need for belonging, the desire to bear witness, author Douglas Atkin makes the connection between community values and vibrant brand evangelism. In this podcast, Douglas talks about values-based community marketing and its relationship to word of mouth.

Douglas Atkin is the author of the book "The Culting of Brands: When Customers Become True Believers" and a partner and chief strategic officer for Merkley+Partners. He began his career at Procter & Gamble, switched to advertising in Europe and then the U.S. He is widely-known for his work helping to launch the now-famous cult brand, jetBlue.

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Posted on 01/18/06 | 0 Comments | Link

Podcast: Bazaarvoice's Sam Decker on WOM as a Business Strategy

In this podcast, Sam Decker of Bazaarvoicee talks about word of mouth as a business strategy. As firms begin to add word of mouth to their marketing toolboxes, Sam emphasizes the importance of connecting consumers to brands in a return of community marketing.

Sam Decker is the Vice President of Marketing and Products for Bazaarvoice, a new firm that that provides managed word of mouth technology, services, and analysis. He is a widely-known expert on word of mouth, with over 14 years experience at Apple and Dell, and is the author of several books on word of mouth marketing, including "How to Market with Computer User Groups" and "301 Do-it-Yourself Marketing Ideas."

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

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Posted on 01/18/06 | 0 Comments | Link

Podcast: WOMMA's Andy Sernovitz Talks All Things WOM

As the center or gravity for word of mouth, WOMMA plays a critical role in the development of this medium. At the same time, the medium itself and the needs of its members define the growth path for WOMMA. CEO Andy Sernovitz talks about these issues and how WOMMA has successfully navigated the challenges facing any early trade group.

Andy Sernovitz, a ten-year veteran of the interactive marketing business, is the co-founder and CEO of WOMMA, the official trade association for the word of mouth marketing industry. Previously, he was the founder and CEO of GasPedal, a strategy consulting firm which helped traditional companies use the Internet to increase profitability.

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

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Posted on 01/11/06 | 0 Comments | Link

Podcast: Organic's Mark Kingdon on Non-Traditional Marketing

Organic's Mark Kingdon likes marketers who take risks. In this podcast, Mark talks about those marketing risk takers and explains in-depth how they are at the heart of emerging non-traditional campaigns going the distance.

Mark has served Organic as its CEO since joining the firm in 2001. Prior to that, he worked for Idealab and PriceWaterhouseCoopers, where he provided strategic guidance to emerging companies.

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

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Posted on 01/11/06 | 0 Comments | Link

Podcast: Cymfony's Jim Nail on Structural Issues Facing WOM

Talking is easy: doing something is more difficult. In this podcast, Cymfony's Jim Nail explains how this simple idea underlies the challenges of traditional marketing and product development teams as they learn to respond to consumers and to what they have to say as they take control of the brand.

This podcast marks the first extensive public interview by Jim Nail after his much-publicized move to Cymfony as the company's new Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer. For eight years prior to that, Jim was an analyst at Forrester, leading their coverage of how marketing strategies and tactics must adapt to technology-driven changes in consumer media consumption habits.

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

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Posted on 01/11/06 | 0 Comments | Link

Terri Whitesel on Word of Mouth and Women

Beginning with the differences when marketing to women versus men, Terri talks about the keys to effective word of mouth and how it applies to all marketers.

Terri is the President and Founder of Interpret-Her, where she and her team of female-savvy specialists help clients increase their share of the women's market in industries as diverse as custom luxury bedding, women's integrated healthcare, and specialty retail.

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

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Posted on 01/ 4/06 | 0 Comments | Link

Podcast: BzzAgent's Dave Balter Talks Genuine WOM

In this podcast, Dave Balter of BzzAgent talks in depth about how individuals' experiences with a product can lead to genuine word of mouth. He also explains the difference between real people sharing real opinions about a product instead of talking about a media form.

Dave Balter is a leader in the word of mouth industry. As the founder of BzzAgent, he's defining the role of genuine, experience-based word of mouth as a marketing channel.

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

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Posted on 01/ 4/06 | 0 Comments | Link

ChangeThis essay -- "The Word on Word of Mouth"

Podcast: Alloy's Samantha Skey on Youth Marketing and Word of Mouth

Built around volunteerism at the college level, Samantha shares details in this podcast about the attraction of cause and social marketing in the youth segment. As Senior VP of Strategic Marketing for Alloy Media and Marketing, Samantha built and now manages the company's cross platform advertising and marketing programs.

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

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Posted on 01/ 3/06 | 0 Comments | Link

Podcast: Organic's Mark Kingdon on Effective Viral and Word of Mouth Campaigns.

Marketers willing to take risks are at the heart of the emerging non-traditional campaigns going the distance. In this podcast, Mark Kingdom of Organic explains why.

Prior to joining Organic as its CEO in 2001, Mark worked for Idealab and provided strategic guidance to emerging companies. Earlier, he was a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he led the Americas retail and distribution practice, managed the PWC & Lybrand merger, and led of the e-business practice globally. Mark is a member of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences and serves as a Webby judge. Mark received his MBA from the Wharton School of Business and a BA in Economics from UCLA.

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

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Posted on 12/28/05 | 0 Comments | Link

Podcast: NPR's Bob Garfield on the Rise of Word of Mouth

Bob Garfield knows advertising.

* He explores its place in popular culture as the co-host of NPR's "On the Media".

* He skewers it as the writer of Ad Age's influential "Ad Review" TV-commercial criticism column.

* He makes you think (and laugh) as the author of two brilliant (and damn funny) business books on it.

Bob now sets his experience and critical eye toward word of mouth.

In a memorable interview with WOMMA CEO Andy Sernovitz, Bob shares his points of view on word of mouth's emergence as a reponse to the increasing clutter and noise levels associated with traditional advertising. He also talks at length about how traditional advertisers are coping and responding now that consumers are talking back. "Those who stay in denial will eventually, in the near term, will see their market shares erode while others who understand the dynamics of the consumer-driven marketplace will prosper."

WOMMA Exclusive! Come to the Word of Mouth Basic Training conference and hear Bob speak as a main keynote. All attendees will receive a copy of Bob's book "And Now a Word from Me" absolutely free.

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

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NPR's On The Media

Posted on 12/23/05 | 0 Comments | Link

Podcast: BuzzMetrics' Max Kalehoff on What Word of Mouth is NOT

What is word of mouth marketing? According to Max Kalehoff of BuzzMetrics, it's not simply blogs and other new technologies. In this podcast, Max goes in depth into the emergence of trust and engagement as key factors in word of mouth marketing and explains the role of word of mouth as a component of an overall marketing campaign.

BuzzMetrics helps companies listen to, measure and act upon the online consumer dialogue affecting their markets. As the Vice President of Marketing, Max leads marketing and communications, and supports strategic partner and product development.

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

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Posted on 12/23/05 | 1 Comments | Link

Podcast: Kevin Burke on Marketing to Moms

"Women are the consumer. They are driving purchasing decisions in all categories." So says Kevin Burke of Lucid Marketing. In this podcast, Kevin talks about the changes he's seen in marketing to women. Kevin also goes into detail about the common mistakes marketers make when focusing their marketing on women.

Founded in 1998, Lucid marketing specializes in marketing to women. The firm builds relationships, relevance and trust with mothers for the world's premier brands.

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

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Posted on 12/23/05 | 0 Comments | Link

Podcast: Fred Reichheld on Good Profits and True Growth

In this exclusive podcast, noted author and loyalty pioneer Fred Reichheld talks at length about the difference between good profits -- those that build on the earned loyalty of current customers, and bad profits -- those which arise out of a milking strategy focused on continuous acquisition rather than retention and referral generation.

WOMMA Exclusive! Catch a sneak preview of Fred's new book "The Ultimate Question" and download chapter 1 today. Then come to WOMMA's Word of Mouth Basic Training conference, where Fred is delivering a keynote and all attendees will receive a copy of the entire book.

Now serving as a Director Emeritus and Bain Fellow, Fred is the founder of the Loyalty Practice at Bain & Company. His pioneering work in customer, employee, and investor retention has made him widely recognized as a leading authority on business loyalty. His previous book, Loyalty Rules, was an international best-seller.

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

Click the "Get Podcast" icon to subscribe to WOMMA's podcast series

More about Fred:

Posted on 12/15/05 | 1 Comments | Link

Fred's WOMBAT How-To: How-To: Applying the Golden Rule for Good Profits

Download the first chapter of "The Ultimate Question" (1MB download)

Podcast: Paul Rand on Creating an Effective WOM Campaign

Paul Rand of Ketchum Communications discusses a 4-step process for creating effective word of mouth campaigns built around the creation of an honest, sharable story. Paul also talks about negative word of mouth, and some of the common misperceptions associated with it.

A noted expert in strategic communications, Paul brings 20 years of expertise in corporate, industry analyst, financial, crisis, business-to-business and marketing communications. He fills several senior positions at Ketchum, including Partner, Global Chief Development and Innovation Officer, Global Technology Practice Director, and Associate Director of the firm's Chicago office.

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

Click the "Get Podcast" icon to subscribe to WOMMA's podcast series

More about Paul:

Ketchum bio page

Paul's WOMBAT How-To: Dealing with Negative Word of Mouth

Paul's presentation from WOMMA WOM vs. Ads conference (Slides 18-24)

Posted on 12/15/05 | 0 Comments | Link

WOMMA Podcasts Now in iTunes

We've made it even easier for you to get your fix of word of mouth marketing wisdom -- even while commuting or exercising. WOMMA's WOMBAT Podcast Series can now be found at the iTunes Music Store. Podcasts are available as individual downloads or you can receive updates automatically as new recordings are posted by clicking the "subscribe" button.

Direct link to WOMMA podcasts

If the link doesn't work, just open iTunes, click the Music Store icon, and type 'WOMMA' into the search box. You will see entries for Youssou N'Dour (don't ask), but click WOMMA instead.

Posted on 12/12/05 | 0 Comments | Link

Podcast: David Binkowski on Corporate Blogging

In this podcast, David Binkowski explains the issues and challenges unique to corporate blogs. Drawing on on his experiences working on General Motors' groundbreaking Fastlane blog (among others), David provides specific insights into creating genuine blogs that connect with customers.

As the Director of Online Outreach for Hass MS&L, David combines eight years of entrepreneurial vision and Web experience with his clients' goals to create strategic online PR and marketing initiatives. His client list includes GM, P&G, and other companies that have two-letter abbreviations.

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

Click the "Get Podcast" icon to subscribe to WOMMA's podcast series

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Posted on 12/12/05 | 0 Comments | Link

Podcast: Todd Tweedy on the Realities of Effective Word of Mouth

In this podcast, BoldMouth CEO Todd Tweedy talks about the realities of launching an effective word of mouth program, and provides insights into the defining elements of successful word of mouth.

No stranger to the worlds of word of mouth and marketing, Todd is the author of the Neighboring marketing model published by Internet.com. Launched in 2005, BoldMouth develops cost-effective word of mouth marketing models that leverage real-time communications and database-driven information delivery to enhance customer acquisition, retention and new mobilization initiatives.

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

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Posted on 12/12/05 | 0 Comments | Link

Podcast: Greg Stielstra on PyroMarketing

In this podcast, author Greg Stielstra talks about his book, PyroMarketing: The Four Step Strategy to Ignite Customer Evangelists and Keep Them For Life. Greg talks about the dramatic changes that have taken place in mass marketing as he puts forward pyromarketing as a positive new word of mouth marketing strategy.

An innovative marketer, author, speaker and consultant, Greg was the marketing director for numerous best-selling books including The Purpose Driven Life. Currently, he works as the Vice President of Marketing for Christian Trade Books at Thomas Nelson Publishing

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

Click the "Get Podcast" icon to subscribe to WOMMA's podcast series

More about Greg:

Download the full audio of the book (free registration required)

Posted on 12/ 8/05 | 0 Comments | Link

Podcast: Steven Nicks on BtoB Word of Mouth

Steven goes in-depth into the challenges of using word of mouth for business-to-business marketers. Established as a viable consumer channel, the misperception that business-to-business marketers are not subject to the effects of word of mouth is just one of the issues tackled by Steven in this podcast.

Steven is a founding partner of The Phelon Group and leads the firm's operations and service delivery. His areas of expertise include organization and process design, reference management systems and enabling technology, change management, and strategic planning.

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

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Posted on 12/ 2/05 | 0 Comments | Link

Podcast: Ed Keller on the Influentials

Ed's book, The Influentials, co-authored with Jon Berry, established him as a leading authority on word of mouth marketing. The Influentials was selected as one of five finalists for the 2004 Berry-AMA Book Prize for Best Book in Marketing, an honor that recognizes books whose innovative ideas have had significant impact on marketing and related fields.

To download the podcast, right-click the "Listen Now" icon and choose "Save As" or "Download Link Target"

Click the "Get Podcast" icon to subscribe to WOMMA's podcast series

More about Ed: