Ad Tech NY: Create a Word of Mouth Campaign in Five Easy Steps

Five word of mouth heavy hitters explained how to create and measure the impact of a word of mouth campaign. They agreed that WOM can be unpredictable, but that it is an inexpensive and remarkably effective way to create customer evangelists.

The five steps to creating an effective WOM campaign:
* Finding the right people to talk about you (influencers & evangelists)
* Giving them something to talk about (viral email, samples, buzz, and more)
* Creating tools to make it easier for them to talk to each other (blogs, discussions, tell-a-friend forms)
* Participating in the conversation
* Tracking and measuring results

Key quotes:
Greg Stielestra: "Personal influence is the ONLY way to reach the apathetic."

Jim Elliot: "No word of mouth campaign ever works exactly the way you think it will. You need to nurture WOM, you can't control it. Let it go, let it find a life of its own."

"Be worth talking about."

"People don't spread the word because they are paid to."

Word of mouth, the panelists agreed, scares big companies."

Moderator, Andy Sernowitz, CEO, WOMMA
Panelists: Greg Stielestra, Sr Marketing Director, Zonfervan, David Neupert, CEO, M80, Jim Elliot, Cole & Weber.

The action at this conference is definitely in the hallways and on the hyper-kinetic and mind-bogglingly crowded and loud exhibit floor. Like this one, many sessions have been sparsely attended, despite good content.

Full conference coverage: Ad Tech Blog

Comments

Posted by: Mike Bawden at November 9, 2005 10:48 PM

Posted by: Craig at November 10, 2005 7:06 AM

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