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Word-of-mouth guru Andy Sernovitz's presentation yesterday at the MarketingProfs B2B Forum was a double whammy: A high-energy, humorous speaker delivering insightful content.
Among the many ideas I took home with me is this simple framework. Andy explained there are three basic reasons why other people talk about your company:
- It's about YOU - they think your company is great (or not-so-great)
- It's about ME - it makes the talker feel good
- It's about US - it's about being part of a group
He explains that YOU is very Seth Godin. To maximize your advantage your company should simply be more remarkable. Employ tactics that make you more forward-able, more worth talking about. For example, Minnies, a Chicago restaurant, surprises parents with a stroller valet service. Used to being hassled about their strollers, these happy parents rave to other parents.
To capitalize on ME, you should give folks whatever they need to make themselves feel smart or helpful when they offer advice to others. Quickbooks offers accountants tax tips to make them look good in front of clients. Emarketer gives marketers graphs they can steal for their business plans or PPT presentations.
And to leverage US, you could invite people to participate in group activities. Microsoft conducts gobs of virtual meetings every month. They wouldn't have to do in-person events also, but they do. As Andy explains, "Open source doesn't have beer or friends. But Microsoft does."
I just found my bookmark in my laptop bag--a giveaway from Andy to attendees. It summarizes his WOM Marketing Manifesto as follows. No. 2 is my favorite. It has a nice ring to it.
Word of Mouth Marketing Manifesto
- Happy customers are your best advertising. Make people happy.
- Marketing is easy: Earn the respect and recommendation of your customers. They will do your marketing for you, for free.
- Ethics and good service come first.
- UR the UE: You are the user experience (not what your ads say you are).
- Negative word of mouth is an opportunity. Listen and learn.
- People are already talking. Your only option is to join the conversation.
- Be interesting or be invisible.
- If it's not worth talking about, it's not worth doing.
- Make the story of your company a good one.
- It is more fun to work at a company that people want to talk about.
- Use the power of word of mouth to make business treat people better.
- Honest marketing makes more money.
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Comments
I LOVE THIS! I think these are some incredible points esp. #5, 8 and 12. I work in an industry where there is a lot of fluff marketing, as well as people stealing others' work (I stage homes for sale, and people do steal photos off sites). Also sometimes a negative experience is not necessary negative if some lesson(s) is/are learned. It is only negative if we don't learn from it.
Cheers,
Cindy
Posted by: cindy*staged4more | 10.04.07
People are already talking. Your only option is to join the conversation. I like this statement a lot. It shows that a company can't just sit back and relax. It's not a one-way thing. Mistakes aren't just there to remind us of a wrong decision. They're stepping stones to future success. And I love the picture, by the way.
Posted by: jen_chan, writer SureFireWealth.com | 10.04.07
Great post! I agree with Valerie that #2 is good, but #3 is the ESSENCE of the deal. I'm a big fan of the Rotary 4-Way test: of all the things we think, say, or do: First, is it the truth? Second, is it fair to all concerned? Third, will it build good will and better friendships? Fourth, will it be beneficial to all concerned? If you can answer YES! to all those critical questions, then you've really got something worth doing...and worth talking about.
Posted by: Claire F. Kuhl | 10.04.07
Great list! Thanks for sharing with those of us who couldn't participate.
Posted by: Elaine Fogel | 10.05.07
I'm a fan of Andy's blog too...here's the URL.
http://www.damniwish.com/
Posted by: Lindy Dreyer | 10.07.07