PubCon: Viral and Word of Mouth Marketing Management

The following is simply my notes from each speaker. I simply jotted things down as they got my attention, much (but not all) is in my own words filtered through my own thought processes. If I lack information on any particular speaker, or misrepresent what was said, please know that this is inadvertent.

Louise Rijk, Advanced Media Productions

Turning customers into your best advertisers. How can you make word of mouth marketing work for you?

• Marketer is losing control over marketing message as the consumers are gaining control. Ads are increasingly easier to filter out.
• People trust the consumer more than the marketer. Traditional advertising gets more expensive and more difficult which makes WOMM more attractive.
• WOMM happens organically… people are happy with the product.
• WOMM is finding and empowering the influencers in the field. Online WOMM doesn’t dissipate like offline. Its sticky. Customer influence is the second most effective form of marketing, behind email.
• Marketers must be willing to give up control. Trying to falsely create WOMM can be spotted.
• Viral marketing relies largely on the outrageous or extraordinarily unique and valuable.
• How to make it work for you? Give the right information to the right influencers.
• Listen for buzz, listen to what they are saying, and then react accordingly. Also listen to identify the influencers.

Lawrence Coburn, RateItAll

Widget Marketing. Why widgets? Allows your site to go viral. Gives users the tools to promote your business.

Creating your widget:

• Accessibility, create the right widget for the right audience
• Customization, needs to be able to be customized by the user
• Content/experience
• Branding
• Sharing, needs to be easy to do