Word of Mouth Marketing SmartBrief

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November 12, 2012

Word of Mouth and social media marketing news

Everybody's Talking About ...

How Facebook chatter can drive real-world sales
Facebook campaigns are potentially a powerful tool for retailers hoping to generate real-world sales, writes Dave Williams. The key is to create ads and special offers that Facebook users want to talk about and share with their friends, since studies show that the majority of Facebook coupons and discounts are used by people other than their original target. "The offers create more awareness when they are shared, and even better is that they work," Williams writes. Advertising Age (tiered subscription model) (11/9)

WOMM at Work

"Low-fi" florist relies on old-school WOMM
London florist Lynne Norledge has deliberately turned her shop into a retro, Wi-Fi-free space, with an old-school word-of-mouth-marketing approach to match. Rather than relying on e-mail and Facebook campaigns, Norledge runs music nights and a knitting club, and uses local suppliers to ensure the support of the community. "Marketing might be simpler via e-mail, but it wouldn't create the buzz," she says. The Daily Mail (London) (11/10)

Quirky John Lewis ads spawn customer-driven Twitter meme
U.K. retail giant John Lewis is a master at creating ad campaigns that people can't help talking about -- and now the chain's quirky ads have spawned their own Twitter meme. The social network's users are using the "#failedJohnLewisads" hashtag to poke fun at the retailer and offer up surreal ideas for the chain's next campaign. Retail Week (U.K.) (subscription required) (11/9)

Building Blocks of Buzz

Frank talk drives hot-dog sales
Pink's, the Los Angeles-born hot-dog brand, has won a cult following thanks to its reliance on word-of-mouth marketing, writes Pat Owings. Celebrity endorsements helped the chain differentiate itself and build early buzz, and strict quality control standards ensure customers stay hungry for more. "The moral of the story is clear: figure out how your company can be better and different," Owings writes. Inbound Marketing Blog (11/10)

Want more referrals? Try firing your clients
Companies that try to be all things to all people have a much harder time winning word-of-mouth-marketing recommendations than companies that are willing to specialize, experts say. That means it's sometimes a smart move to fire clients whose business forces you to expand the scope of your business. "You may have to get rid of clients to protect your niche, but having a niche attracts referrals," writes Thomas Coyle. The Wall Street Journal (11/9)

4 ways to build a connection with your customers
The rise of the social Web is driving companies to seek relationships with their customers in the hopes of winning referrals and recommendations, writes Aydin Acar. To ensure your brand is on the tip of your customers' tongues, it helps to have a great product, an engaging social media presence, and a variety of freebies and contests to encourage discussion of your brand. MediaPost Communications/Online Media Daily (11/9)

Words from WOMMA

WOMMA Summit: VISA takes homes the gold
WOMMA Summit has arrived, but our speaker interviews are not done yet. For final sit-down, we decided to stop in with Matt Britton, founder and CEO of WOMMA governing member MRY. Matt will be presenting his session today, "How Team VISA Strived for Gold in Social Media," during the 2012 Olympic Games. See the entire interview at All Things WOMM.

Social listening uncovers what moms really think
Marketers want nothing more than to tap into the inner psyche of today's modern mom. Many often think the best way to attract a mom is by treating her as a mom. However, 360i discovered how this group of consumers want to be identified as an individual first, mom second. This and plenty of other nuggets of info were revealed within the first six months of what we call the "100 Moms Project," a full-year study using a blend of technology-driven and manual analysis to track and observe conversations being had on Twitter. Read a synopsis at WOMMA.

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