2009 Bowling Green State University Marketing Symposium: How to Influence Viral Marketing and Word of Mouth Communications. Today, right now, customers are talking about your company and your products, and much of that conversation is taking place online. WOM (Word Of Mouth) communications carry more credibility, are delivered faster, and are more likely to influence buyers than official company messages. Bill Balderaz will discuss current viral trends, how companies can influence internet communications, and ways to create positive buzz.

1. How to Influence Viral Marketing and Word of Mouth Communications Bill Balderaz Webbed Marketing www.webbedmarketing.com @bbalderaz

3. “We can't open this up to our employees, it will pull them away from work." "What about legal implications? The FDA regulates all our communications. An employee can distribute un-reviewed content to the world and we could liable." "We lose control of our brand." Sound Familiar?

4. Quick, that's a corporate executive talking about what? Blogging? Twitter? Facebook? LinkedIn? Sound Familiar?

5. Wrong. Sound Familiar?

6. The year is 1997 and that's a conversation about email. A Trip Through Time

7. We won’t have time to check email because we spent a lot of time faxing, reading & writing memos and on the phone. Email reduced our dependencies on these communication channels. Today with the flood of email we all receive, no one has time to Tweet. Done right, Twitter and other social networks reduce the amount of email you send, just as email reduced the number of memos we all typed. Other Parallels

8. Email is purely a social application and a way to distribute get-rich-quick-scams and pornography. The same thing is said about social media every day. We've all become pretty good at sifting through the garbage and using email as a key part of our work environment. Other Parallels Other Parallels

9. Email is a fad and a disruptive element that new college grads want. Just like email, Twitter, LinkedIn Groups, Facebook and other social networks have fundamental benefits over other forms of communication. Other Parallels Other Parallels

10. Teach a Man To Fish… Sales – Give a man a fish

11. Teach a Man To Fish… Marketing – Teach a man to fish

12. Teach a Man To Fish… Social Media Marketing – Give a man a bass boat, 12 rods and reels, a case of beer and free weekend.

13. What is a Social Network? An online meeting place for consumers and influencers to create, share and interact with content.

15. Wikihow

16. Wikipedia

17. Craigs List

18. Newsvine

19. Yahoo! Answers

20. Digg

21. YouTube

22. Facebook

23. MySpace

24. LinkedIn

25. Amazon

26. Technorati

28. Using Social Media in Your Marketing Plan

29. Set Clear Goals There are three kinds of people in the world: those who can count, and those who can’t

30. Set Clear Goals Can’t measure “more buzz” Define measurable metrics – 16 media placements, 40 relevant links, increase sales 12% Take baseline metrics before campaign starts SEO metrics, social media metrics Break metrics down into quantifiable goals Mentions in blogs, social networks, links to the site… You can quantify metrics

31. Determine the Hook Set goals before determining the “hook” Questionnaire to determine need – what gets the participants excited? Examples: free sample, white paper, video, online calculator/application, stunt

32. Determine Distribution Plan Earn your way into distribution Avoid using the word “free” Look for specialized networks or “celebrity” bloggers that don’t often get pitched Rate the value of each participant and determine the pitch

33. Determine Distribution Plan Think in terms of most efficient coverage Examples: pitch a blogger, obtain a following on MySpace/Facebook, use tagging sites, Tweet to your target, make new connections on LinkedIn and build a presence on targeted social networks Great Content + Great Distribution=Great Word of Mouth

34. Case Study: Shizuka New York Located in midtown Manhattan Cosmetology & skin care with “Eastern holistic knowledge” Featured in international media, including Marie Claire, Shape, Vogue, and Harpers Bazaar

35. Shizuka New York Following Word of Mouth program: Mention on Jay Leno Mention on CNN Home page of CNN.com E! “The Soup” The Hollywood Reporter Featured on the Today Show

36. We Set Clear Goals Branding and awareness Increased site traffic New clients

37. Used that Compelling Hook Highlighting “Bird Poop Facials”

38. Determined the Best Distribution Plan SEO Press Release Blogger Outreach Video Social Networks

39. SEO Press Release

40. Blogger Outreach Identify bloggers in key categories: Already talking Skin care Pop culture News of the weird

41. Blogger Outreach Read the blog! Clearly identify who you are Tailor your message Provide only relevant content Ask yourself again before you hit “send”

42. Video Spoof interview produced Uploaded to YouTube Embedded in press release Sent to bloggers

43. Video The YouTube Geisha Facial video – 20,000+ views

44. Web Results Ice Rocket Web results were at 3,960 at the beginning of May and are now up to 20,700

45. Summary Create a great hook, you can’t fake it Funny Useful Outrageous Taboo Find the right mix of complementary channels Measure results

46. Get Social Today Attendance and enthusiasm are half the game Dedicate time to making this work Bring wine Seek first to understand, then to be understood The conversation is going on right now, the only decision is if you will be involved

47. Questions & Comments Bill Balderaz bbalderaz@webbedmarketing.com www.webbedmarketing.com Twitter: @bbalderaz