Word of Mouth Marketing Part 1: The Zen of Word of Mouth

"The idea of word of mouth is very Zen. You put the idea out there, let it go and if people like and trust you they will spread the word." Variety Magazine 21 July 2005.

This is the first in a series of posts on word of mouth marketing (WOM) following interest generated at Canberra's first word of mouth marketing workshop.

Today WOM is more important than ever because we are increasingly weary with advertising and cynical about how the media report events. Word of mouth stands out because it is about genuine conversations between real people. That makes it the cheapest and most effective promotion an organisation can have.

The span of word of mouth is spreading. Traditionally it involved face to face encounters. You talking to me. Now new digital technologies have put WOM on steroids making our on-line conversations just as important as our off-line efforts.

Whatever the arena effective word of mouth marketing needs six key elements to work:

• Make sure your organisation and its issue, cause, product or service have integrity and offer value. People will only spread positive word of mouth when they believe in something. So provide something worthwhile to talk about and remember word of mouth will always punish poor performance and those who lack integrity.

• Be clear about who you want reach because WOM is all about people and their networks. Know who and where they are.
  

• Identify, recruit and maintain relationships with people who can help you connect with your audiences. Often called 'key influencers', these individuals lend you their language, contacts and credibility when they carry your information into their networks.
  

• Provide key influencers with simple messages, stories and pass-on tools so it is easy for them to spread the word about you. Constantly refresh your conversation with these people.
  

• Use as many channels as possible to keep the conversation going. Create continual 'buzz' through face to face meetings, speaking to groups, inviting people to events and going on-line to either create your conversations or join in with others. Perhaps it is better to start with a few communications channels you are confident will work and then expand your repertoire as you see results.
  

• Track the results of your conversations by encouraging feedback and using on-line and other tracking tools.

At the end of the day marketing is about doing the right thing by your customers, clients or fellow citizens and encouraging them to talk about you.

Diplomacy Goes Digital

The US State Department is embracing social media in an impressive way.

Its 'Dipnote' initiative offers a range of internet resources - videos, images, blogs, RSS feeds, podcasts etc - to inform the public about US diplomacy. The Dipnote blog is written by two State Department officers, one of whom travels with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Importantly 'Dipnote' allows people to have their say on world issues. For example a recent blogpost on the international community's role in the Russian- Georgian conflict drew 73 comments.

The new State Department internet site is in strong contrast with its Australian and New Zealand counterparts. Their websites continue to be mostly text based with little scope for public interaction.

Canberra's First Word of Mouth Marketing Workshop

On 30 August we're running Canberra's first word of mouth marketing workshop for not for profits.

We have been steadily watching the rise and rise of word of mouth marketing in recent times and we tip it will become even more important in future. The reasons are simple:

• After 50 plus years of day in day out marketing, people are weary and leery of advertising. For example when was the last time you saw, read or heard an ad that you can recall with any kind of accuracy? And more importantly when was the last time an ad motivated you to go out and buy something?

• Word of mouth marketing is genuine communications. It is about people sharing information, experiences and feelings. We all have an innate desire to share good news with family, friends and workmates and warn them away from negative issues or bad products. Word of mouth is our information passed within our circle at our pace. And it removes the the middle men from our communications.
  

• Digital media has made it possible to carry word of mouth endorsements and opinions to mass audiences and to individuals fast and cheap.

Our workshop is geared for not for profit organisations and it's already over-subscribed with representatives from 10 organisations attending.

It will be a good way to share experiences and explore how community groups can use this increasingly important marketing medium to advance their causes.

'Every Day Can't Be A Crisis'

Why is it some communicators are always in a 'flap' and everyday is a crisis?

PR people tend to be high energy individuals but really some of us do take things a little too far.

We live increasingly busy lives but sometimes we all need to smell the flowers. That's why I found a recent article in Tactics, the monthly newsletter of the Public Relations Society of America, so refreshing.

In the one page article Michigan-based PR professional, Rick Chambers, reminds us that 'every day can't be a crisis'. And among his uncommon common sense, Rick notes that:

• Although we can prepare for the PR challenges ahead, we can't prepare for every one of them. At some point we need to realise that "things will take care of themselves".
• In our profession sometimes it's all too easy to focus on the downside. After all we are the people who invented crisis management. Yet we, and many of colleagues, often do great work and we need to proclaim and celebrate that effort.
• We should put a human face on the organisations we work for. They are more than logos, brands, policies and outcomes. At the end of the day our companies and agencies are collections of people and our job is to represent those people as best we can.
• Be aware of what you can and can't do. Take personal pride in the things you can achieve but realise the things you cannot do. For the sake of your health and sanity, learn to let go when the time is right.
• Live in the here and now... despite the urgency of our daily challenges, we are living life now and it's not a dress rehearsal for something else.
  

I know some communicators who, if the world ended tomorrow, would still have three days work to do post-Apocalypse. It's sad to think they are more committed to their tasks than their time with themselves and others.

Well done Rick Chambers for helping put a perspective to our professional urgencies.

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