http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=word-of-mouth-training-wheels Opinions. Commentary. News. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:23:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/comment-page-1/#comment-27029 Ed Dixon Thu, 26 Apr 2007 01:22:37 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/#comment-27029 WOM has been around since the days of the cavemen. For example: When a fresh resource of water was located this news was spread from tribe to tribe. Most successful businesses today, realize the importance of WOM. I am a big advocate of WOM as I don't normally advertise any other way. My seminars are normally packed with people of heard from a friend about me. I also find it hard to believe that an association was formed around this topic. It is actually funny! Only in America. WOM has been around since the days of the cavemen. For example: When a fresh resource of water was located this news was spread from tribe to tribe. Most successful businesses today, realize the importance of WOM. I am a big advocate of WOM as I don’t normally advertise any other way. My seminars are normally packed with people of heard from a friend about me.
I also find it hard to believe that an association was formed around this topic. It is actually funny! Only in America.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/comment-page-1/#comment-27028 Ed Dixon Thu, 26 Apr 2007 01:21:50 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/#comment-27028 WOM has been around since the days of the cavemen. For example: When a fresh resource of water was located this news was spread from tribe to tribe. Most successful businesses today, realize the importance of WOM. I am a big advocate of WOM as I don's normally advertise any other way. My seminars are normally packed with people of heard from a friend about me. I also find it hard to believe that an association was formed around this topic. It is actually funny! Only in America. WOM has been around since the days of the cavemen. For example: When a fresh resource of water was located this news was spread from tribe to tribe. Most successful businesses today, realize the importance of WOM. I am a big advocate of WOM as I don’s normally advertise any other way. My seminars are normally packed with people of heard from a friend about me.
I also find it hard to believe that an association was formed around this topic. It is actually funny! Only in America.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/comment-page-1/#comment-27027 Ollie Lind Wed, 25 Apr 2007 23:55:44 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/#comment-27027 Actually, WOM is much older. Plato wrote his Dialogues after Socrates death. If you haven't read them they outline Socrate's philosophy. In fact, without them we would know nothing of Socratic thought. Regards, Ollie Lind Actually, WOM is much older. Plato wrote his Dialogues after Socrates death. If you haven’t read them they outline Socrate’s philosophy. In fact, without them we would know nothing of Socratic thought.
Regards,
Ollie Lind

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/comment-page-1/#comment-27026 Steve Hoffacker Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:21:55 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/#comment-27026 Spike, Word-of-mouth (WOM) has always been around. The reason is might seem to be taking on more importance recently is because of the emphasis on relationship selling and the decline of traditional media advertising. People have always shared their opinions - solicited or not - with others. Who hasn't told someone about a restaurant they ate at, a show they watched, a book they read, a bargain they got, an out-of-the-way beach or vacation spot, or many other such experiences? The point is that you can't stop WOM so you don't have to go out of your way to create it or encourage it. What you have to do is be intentional about it. Know that it's going to happen so do everything you can to influence the customer experience with you and your company in a positive light. Everything your customer experiences - whether they ever buy from you or just browse - should be as you intend it. No sloppiness. Whether its the way you answer the phone, your signage, your ads, the condition of your samples or showroom, the way you maintain contact with your customers, the way you conduct your sales presentation, or the way your customer "think" they are treated by you - all this influences what people report to their friends, relatives, associates, co-workers, and neighbors about their experiences with you and your company. This is WOM. Steve Spike,
Word-of-mouth (WOM) has always been around. The reason is might seem to be taking on more importance recently is because of the emphasis on relationship selling and the decline of traditional media advertising.
People have always shared their opinions – solicited or not – with others. Who hasn’t told someone about a restaurant they ate at, a show they watched, a book they read, a bargain they got, an out-of-the-way beach or vacation spot, or many other such experiences?
The point is that you can’t stop WOM so you don’t have to go out of your way to create it or encourage it. What you have to do is be intentional about it. Know that it’s going to happen so do everything you can to influence the customer experience with you and your company in a positive light.
Everything your customer experiences – whether they ever buy from you or just browse – should be as you intend it. No sloppiness. Whether its the way you answer the phone, your signage, your ads, the condition of your samples or showroom, the way you maintain contact with your customers, the way you conduct your sales presentation, or the way your customer “think” they are treated by you – all this influences what people report to their friends, relatives, associates, co-workers, and neighbors about their experiences with you and your company. This is WOM.
Steve

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/comment-page-1/#comment-27025 johnmoore (from Brand Autopsy) Tue, 10 Apr 2007 00:51:53 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/#comment-27025 Andy Sernovitz also said in his book that WOM has gone from being anecdotal to being actionable. As marketers, we have this desire to quantify what works. WOM works. WOMMA is just trying to help us marketers get smarter about WOM and helping us to quantify it so that it this marketing activity go from being anecdotal to actionable. (Yeah, I'm a three-year member/supporter of WOMMA.) Andy Sernovitz also said in his book that WOM has gone from being anecdotal to being actionable. As marketers, we have this desire to quantify what works. WOM works. WOMMA is just trying to help us marketers get smarter about WOM and helping us to quantify it so that it this marketing activity go from being anecdotal to actionable.
(Yeah, I’m a three-year member/supporter of WOMMA.)

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/comment-page-1/#comment-27024 Spike Mon, 09 Apr 2007 20:30:44 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/#comment-27024 That's the first recorded written mention of "word of mouth." That’s the first recorded written mention of “word of mouth.”

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/comment-page-1/#comment-27023 Ann Handley Mon, 09 Apr 2007 20:04:16 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/#comment-27023 p.s. to Spike -- what happened in 1533? p.s. to Spike — what happened in 1533?

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/comment-page-1/#comment-27022 Ann Handley Mon, 09 Apr 2007 20:03:36 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/#comment-27022 Former WOMMA CEO Andy Sernovitz writes in his book that WOM of mouth has been around since forever. But what's new is the "second M -- Marketing," which is learning to work with WOM toward a marketing objective. He talks about WOMM that's actionable trackable and plannable -- but never manipulative or dishonest. Andy's book is a nifty little primer on the basics, actually. And that's my own little WOM for today.... : ) Former WOMMA CEO Andy Sernovitz writes in his book that WOM of mouth has been around since forever. But what’s new is the “second M — Marketing,” which is learning to work with WOM toward a marketing objective. He talks about WOMM that’s actionable trackable and plannable — but never manipulative or dishonest. Andy’s book is a nifty little primer on the basics, actually.
And that’s my own little WOM for today…. : )

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/comment-page-1/#comment-27021 Spike Mon, 09 Apr 2007 17:29:28 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/#comment-27021 Paul, I'll do my best! Lewis, sounds like you need to be a member and a presenter at the next event! I can't officially speak for WOMMA, but I don't think they have ever claimed to have invented WOM - I'm not sure where you got that. And I'm with you, brother. The first time WOM was referenced was in 1533 - a long, long time ago. It's not a new thing. But the setting aside of budget and the creation of a "bucket" for it inside of companies IS, for the most part, new. In my eyes, the association was created to bring kindred spirits together. So we can talk about ethics and transparency. So we can share best practices. So we can learn from each others mistakes. And it's for education, too. I think a lot of businesses THINK that they use WOM - we've seen it first hand. But they are completely mistaking it for something else. And there IS a complete lack of marketing sense in some - dare I say a lot - of companies. I'm sure you have seen it first hand. I encourage you to dig a little deeper into WOMMA and give it a fair shake. I'm sure that even you just might learn something. Paul, I’ll do my best!
Lewis, sounds like you need to be a member and a presenter at the next event!
I can’t officially speak for WOMMA, but I don’t think they have ever claimed to have invented WOM – I’m not sure where you got that.
And I’m with you, brother. The first time WOM was referenced was in 1533 – a long, long time ago. It’s not a new thing. But the setting aside of budget and the creation of a “bucket” for it inside of companies IS, for the most part, new.
In my eyes, the association was created to bring kindred spirits together. So we can talk about ethics and transparency. So we can share best practices. So we can learn from each others mistakes. And it’s for education, too.
I think a lot of businesses THINK that they use WOM – we’ve seen it first hand. But they are completely mistaking it for something else. And there IS a complete lack of marketing sense in some – dare I say a lot – of companies. I’m sure you have seen it first hand.
I encourage you to dig a little deeper into WOMMA and give it a fair shake. I’m sure that even you just might learn something.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/comment-page-1/#comment-27020 Lewis Green Mon, 09 Apr 2007 15:12:13 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/#comment-27020 Spike, I understand your point, and word of mouth is important. But why does WOMMA seem to think they invented it. WOM started when we began walking upright and has been a strategy of busines forever. I have been using it as a strategy for my clients and for when I had to create both department and corporate strategies when I worked in the corporate world. That spans 35 years. My grandmother relied completely on WOM for the 50 years she ran her Italian market. It scares me to think that we had to create an Association and then we act as if in the past two years WOM has taken off. WOM took flight thousands of years ago. Are there really businesses that don't strategize around WOM. If there are, that indicates a lack of any marketing sense at all. Spike,
I understand your point, and word of mouth is important.
But why does WOMMA seem to think they invented it. WOM started when we began walking upright and has been a strategy of busines forever. I have been using it as a strategy for my clients and for when I had to create both department and corporate strategies when I worked in the corporate world. That spans 35 years. My grandmother relied completely on WOM for the 50 years she ran her Italian market.
It scares me to think that we had to create an Association and then we act as if in the past two years WOM has taken off. WOM took flight thousands of years ago. Are there really businesses that don’t strategize around WOM. If there are, that indicates a lack of any marketing sense at all.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/comment-page-1/#comment-27019 Paul Barsch Mon, 09 Apr 2007 14:12:35 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/word-of-mouth-training-wheels/#comment-27019 OK Spike, you've whet my appetite, I'm ready for more. Bring it on in subsequent posts! OK Spike, you’ve whet my appetite, I’m ready for more. Bring it on in subsequent posts!

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