Word of Mouth MarketingWhat’s the buzz ?Willem Sodderland, Founder & CEO of Buzzer

What’s wrong with this picture ?Let’s discuss marketing paradigms.

Seduction vs. Matchmaking My rule of thumb is this: Every person you turn away because your product or service isn't right for them turns into three great customers down the road. Every bad sale costs you five. Seth Godin

Opening Weekend: The Constant GardenerThe Constant GardenerA novel by John le Carré based on real facts: the pharmaceutical industry is testing new medicine on very poor Africans who do not know that they are used for testing and are just happy to receive free medicine for their illnesses.Documentary: 50%Thriller: 35%Romantic: 15%

Marketing & ResultsMarketing ApproachAdvertise the movie primarily as a romantic thriller, not as a documentary (about a controversial topic). This appeals to a broader audience.Box Office €% Seats TCG sold in all movie theatres

Analysis: what’s going on ?We’re not reaching people. Increase advertising !It’s not working, let’s cut our losses and ↓ # of shows We need more TV budget next time !Yep, we know our stuff !?‘Misled’ visitors spread less positive WoMThe right WoM is kicking in from new visitors……but now people can’t find the movie…

The essence of Word of Mouth.1Advertising makes people curiousWord of Mouth makes curious people comfortable to buy32Product experiences create word of mouth

Willem’s (1st piece of) Wisdom.Marketing success is not about ‘opening weekend’.The greatest marketing force – WoM – can be turned into a marketing instrument.WoM is not a gimmick it is an ‘organisational lifestyle’.Willem’s WoMWisdom.Other wisdom.

Word of Mouth MarketingSocial marketingProduct seedingBlog marketingViral marketingCommunity MarketingInfluencer MarketingStealth MarketingShillingPop-up retailCo-creationCrowdsourcingEvangelist MarketingUser Generated ContentReferral ProgramsMarketing 2.0, PR 2.0Product Reviews, TestimonialsAdvertorials & Commercial ContentSocial networksBranded communitiesMarketing 5.0 ?

WoM = Open Source MarketingCustomer EngagementWord of MouthMarketingOpen Source Marketing

Buzzer: Product, Story & BuzzOnlineProduct-experience & StoryThe brandGenerate Trial & Buzz(The market)(selected consumers)Feedback on Product & MarketingOffline(the buzzer platform)

Buzz(er) without limits.ServicesFood & DrinksHealth & WellnessWebElectronicsEntertainment

Willem’s Wisdom.Marketing success is not about ‘opening weekend’.The greatest marketing force – WoM – can be turned into a marketing instrument.WoM is not a gimmick, it is an ‘organisational lifestyle’.Willem’s WoMWisdom.

WoM as a marketing instrument ?WoM is like DemocracyWoM is the best of all marketing forces. But it appears less ideal as a marketing instrument…You can’t control it !(yeah, what about negative buzz ?)Only for exceptional products(I don’t sell an iPod !)Slow, small reach(I need to reach everybody fast…)Measure the impact ?(show me the money !)

You can’t control it !

Only for exceptional products

Slow, small reach

Measure the impact ?

WoM cannot be controlled...…and that’s exactly why it works.(but you can trigger, organise, stimulate, learn from it)

You don’t control anyway.Marketing has finally become a conversation. Not, in most cases, as was intended, BETWEEN corporations and consumers (that would make too much sense), but rather a global conversation involving millions of consumers ABOUT corporations.On numerous sites and on hundreds of thousands of blogs, community sites, forums, viral emails and bulletin boards consumers relentlessly exchange views, complaints, opinions and comments about products and services, about brands, about companies, about YOUR company.Trendwatching.com

Open Source Politics & CrowdfundingDraft ObamaInitiated by volunteers without Obama’s knowledge

The world’s most valuable brand“Think about that for a second: the top brand in the world belongs to a player that… ...uhhh…doesn’t advertise”Umair Haque - Harvard Business Review(The Shrinking Advantage of Brands)

Bad Buzz ?4 good reasons why opening up your marketing creates less ‘bad buzz’, not more2/3 of all buzz is positive (not 1/3)Complaining relieves...Vulnerability is rewardedKnowing why creates options

Ok. But how do you leverage WoM ?Create a more Buzzable Product(build buzz into it)Facilitate Product Experiences (most powerful WoM)Create Conversation Starters(product & story travel better)Tell a story (more (reason) to share)Engage & Co-create (involvement boosts everything)OnlineGive people a reason to talk about you.The brand(The market)Offline

WoM only for exceptional products...?Forum for ‘Funeral Consumers’“My mother will die ‘out of state’. How best to handle this, what about insurance ?”Every product, service or experience will create word of mouth. The question is not how you compare to the iPhone, but to your competitor.

Enhance Product BuzzabilityWhipped Cream...?CapuccinoSomething !

Canon: real product experiencesUploadyourphoto and receive the picture printedOn the photoprinteryouconsiderbuying

Conversation starters: Moustache GuerillasCanon…Wearing a moustache (for a charity) as a conversation starter. You don’t have to start, everybody else will !

A game starts a conversation & tells the story...Dove Hairminimising: feel less need to shave your armpit. Play a game: which of these situations hurts your selfconfidence most ? Acts as a conversation starter & articulates the brand promise.

How do I know WoM marketing is worth it ?Management InformationCost per Conversation€ Value/NPS↑Quantity (reach)Quality (impact)G0 - G1 - G2ReportsOnline buzz toolsG2 factor 4 (research)Intensity interactionAwareness factsNPSBuying behaviourG0G1G2G3Bzz.Bzz.Bzz.Bzz.Bzz.Bzz.

Cost per Conversation

€ Value/NPS↑

G0 - G1 - G2

Reports

Online buzz tools

G2 factor 4 (research)

Intensity interaction

Awareness facts

NPS

Buying behaviour

Case: OMO Small & MightyElements2 * concentrated3000 Buzzers3 monthsCreate TrialBeat ArielChange behaviourMeasure !

Experience the product & share it!Buzzers receive enough product to experience the product indepthConsumers ever smarter and more critical…“Consumers are bombarded with advertising, but they see through it ever faster. The product experience trumps the brand when it gets to influencing buying behaviour”Guy de Sévaux - Research International ‘Buzzed’ people receive samples that help tell the story...

Turn the laundry into a conversationWhitewashing: a 28 page booklet filled with buzzable stories about doing the laundry. Circulation: 75.000Monica Lewinsky’s dress: one of the most famous stains in history. Worth talking about…

Conversation startersT-shirts for kids with small & mighty visuals that get people to ask questions

A powerful story: make the claim real.Prove convenience ? Hold your old detergent and Small & Mighty in your stretched arms and see how long you can hold both…

Storytelling through actionsPhoto-award: send in a picture that shows the benefits for the environment of using Klein & Kräftig

The Buzzer as Micro MarketeerBuzzers make25 mini-BuzzKits and hand these out with their own story‘Buzzed’ consumers fill out a questionnaire online

Show me the money.1>150In 2008, Buzzer launched OMO Small & Mighty, a new detergent, for Unilever. Mindshare Insights conducted in-depth research on the results of the Campaign. 4 groups were compared: control groups that were exposed to advertising and sampling, the Buzzers and the people they buzzed. “The reach of buzzing is huge”

Willem’s wisdom.Marketing success is not about ‘opening weekend’.The greatest marketing force – WoM – can be turned into a marketing instrument.WoM is not a gimmick, it is an ‘organisational lifestyle’.Willem’s WoMWisdom.

Guaranteed positive WoM: Get Rich Quick !“Willem’s presentation at the WoM Milan summit was the best ever held in any conference. And he is very, very handsome” I. Maginary, WoM Summit participantBuy Willem Now !(limited pieces left)9 out of 10 people* that did not see the presentation said it would have improved the quality of their lives if they had witnessed it. * Tested among a sample of hypothetical people.

The Slow & Irreversible WoM Revolution.1st agency EuropeBenelux & Germany75+ CampaignsBroad PortfolioWomma Member Specialised in BuzzTools & Storytelling...and Buzzer does this for a living ; )WoM Marketing helps brands use the full potential of word of mouth and user engagement...

WoM can be learned, organisedToolsIdeasMedia & LogisticsAccess to ConsumersSeed productsConversation startersStorytelling, WoM campaigns/programsFacilitate collaborationSoftware, tech-toolsMeasure, research, analyse, consulting Word of mouth from marketeers !Churchofthe`customer.comBlogsCreativePlatformInsights

Q & (hopefully) A

Willem’s other wisdom.Willem’s WoMWisdom.Risotto con Pulpo.Other wisdom.

ContactTalk to me while I am here or contact me at willem@buzzer.biz for further questions.www.buzzer.bizwww.slideshare/sodderland/milano2009